Blood on Blood
by SCange
Summary: Sookie is about to turn 25, and she hasn't seen her best friends in years.  An unexpected event results in an emotional reunion between Sookie, Pam and Amelia.  A favour to Pam's business partner leaves Sookie fighting for her life.  Who will protect her?
1. Chapter 1   Headache

**Sookie is about to turn twenty five, and she hasn't seen her best friends in years. An unexpected event results in an emotional reunion between Sookie, Pam and Amelia. A lot of things have happened to all three girls since they last saw each other, and things are still changing for Sookie.**

**A favour to Pam's business partner leaves Sookie fighting for her life. Who will protect her from danger, and will she seek revenge?**

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A/N: This is my first ever fan fic, so I really hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. It's almost finished, so I will update regularly because there's nothing worse than a half finished story :-)

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

**UPDATED 8TH FEB 2012**

**The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Blood on Blood**

It was Friday night, and I'd just finished my first set at Merlotte's Bar and Grille. I worked as a waitress there on weekdays, but Friday and Saturday nights, I perched at the end of the bar with a mike in hand as the resident singer. I'd always thought that I couldn't sing, until Sam heard me one day singing along to the Jukebox while I was cleaning up in the bar at the end of my shift as a waitress.

He asked me to sing that Friday, and I reluctantly agreed. I figured that people would either pay me to stop because they hated my voice, or they'd love it like Sam did, and pay me to carry on.

Turned out they loved me.

That was three years ago, and since that night, I had become the resident singer at Merlotte's. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, making a living off doing what I loved. Tonight though, I was suffering, and was glad for the break between my sets. I'd suffered from headaches all my life, but for the past couple of weeks I'd had a pretty constant headache that seemed to get worse at work. At first, I thought it was because I kept my long blonde hair tied up in a tight pony tail; so I decided to try wearing my hair down. Unfortunately, wearing my hair down did nothing for the headache, and just got in the way all the time. Since that didn't work, I figured that maybe the noise & the smoky atmosphere were finally getting to me, so I tried to spend as much time outdoors as I could while I wasn't at work, and took all of my breaks sitting out on the bench that Sam had built around a huge tree in the employee parking lot behind the bar.

Because of the headaches, I hadn't been sleeping well, and that seemed to be making the whole situation worse. I had lived the past couple of weeks with a fake smile plastered on my face to try to hide the pain, but tonight the pain was unreal. It was like I had an iron mask around my head, and it was getting tighter and tighter, and the pressure was getting to breaking point now. I signalled to Sam that I was going to take a proper break, away from the main bar area, then slid off the stool and walked into the corridor towards the ladies room.

I stepped into Sam's office to grab my purse (or more specifically, the aspirin bottle that was in it), then trudged to the bathroom. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that no-one else was in the bathroom, then I shut the door and locked it. I leant my back against the door and sank to the floor, grateful for the cool tiles and the peace.

Heaving a huge sigh, I slowly dragged myself to my feet to stand in front of the sink. I looked into the mirror and just about burst into tears when I saw my reflection. My 'emergency smile' had slid off my face as soon as I had left the main bar area and now all I could see through my half closed eyes was pain – not just pain in the physical sense (although my head was throbbing), but pain in the emotional sense.

It was times like this that I really needed the comfort that only my Gran could offer me. Most people would want their Mom when they were feeling ill or down, but I just wanted my Gran. Gran had been my source of comfort since my parents died when I was seven.

I distinctly remembered the day my parents died; they had dropped my brother, Jason, and me off at Gran's so that they could have a day out without us. They'd been arguing quite a lot, and Gran had encouraged them to spend some time alone to try to smooth things over. They left quite early in the morning, intending to picnic somewhere and return later that evening; and I remember clinging to my Daddy crying that I wanted to go with them. Gran had plucked me from Daddy's arms, telling me that she needed my help to make our breakfast because I was the best at mixing the pancake batter. I felt so proud because Gran said that, because she was the best cook ever!

I was so engrossed in telling her about what I intended to put in the pancakes, that I didn't even realise that my parents had left, and I didn't get to say goodbye.

A few hours later, Bud Dearborn, the Sherriff, drove down the driveway while Jason and I were playing on the old tyre swing that had been Daddy and Aunt Lynda's when they were our age. He stopped the car outside the back porch, and gave us a sad look before stepping out of his car and putting on his hat. I remember thinking it was strange that Sherriff Dearborn put his hat on, because I'd never seen him with it on, but also because it was the middle of summer and very hot.

He walked up the back steps, and Gran, who had been watching Jason and me out of the kitchen window, opened the door to greet him. She took one look at his face, and her hand went to her chest as she shook her head. She had tears streaming down her face, and I went running to her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and asked, "Gran, what's wrong?"

"Oh sweetheart, Sherriff Dearborn has just brought some bad news. There's been an accident and your Mommy and Daddy have…" she took a deep breath before continuing, "they've gone to heaven, sweetie."

Jason had followed me up to Gran, and started shouting and screaming, saying that Gran was lying, so Bud put both hands on his shoulders and crouched down so that he was face to face with my brother. "Now, Jason. You're the man of the house now, and this kind of behaviour isn't helping anyone. You need to be strong for your sister and your Gran."

Jason seemed ashamed, and simply nodded before apologising to Bud and to Gran. I just clung tighter to Gran, and kind of withdrew into myself.

Gran was my rock. She was there for me throughout everything that life threw at me, but a couple of years ago, she suffered a massive heart attack and passed on. I tried to think that she was now back with her family, and that she was still looking down on me, but at times like this, I really missed her.

Since she passed, I lived alone in Gran's house; and people seemed to think that I'd become some crazy cat lady, because I spent most of my time at home with my cat, Tina. I did nothing to discourage the rumours, because to be blunt, I didn't want to spend time with people who were obviously two-faced. They were really nice to my face, but I knew that they talked about me.

I preferred my alone time, especially recently, because noise often started one of my headaches, and people are always noisy, even if they are trying to be quiet.

No-one knew me well enough to see the pain that I often felt, because I kept it well hidden, but it was there. Every so often, that pain got so bad, I felt like just couldn't take it anymore. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't suicidal or anything, but I really felt like I could have a real good, long cry-fest. Well, I couldn't (and wouldn't) break down now – I was at work. I took a deep breath, and turned on the tap to let the cold water run.

Once the water was cool enough, I opened the bottle of aspirin and shook a couple out. I scooped some water into my hand and threw back the tablets, grimacing while I swallowed them. I hated taking pills, but sometimes there was nothing else I could do. I splashed the cold water over my face to try to bring some semblance of life back into my cheeks; I turned off the tap then stood up to look at myself in the mirror again. I took another deep breath, plastered a smile on my face, unlocked the door and strode back into the bar area.

Sam looked at me with a raised eyebrow in question. "You OK?" he asked, with concern on his face.

"Yeah, fine." I answered as brightly as I could. He looked at me in disbelief, so I filled in what could be an awkward silence, "Just a headache, is all".

"You really ought to go see about that, Sookie. You've had a headache every night for the past three weeks."

"Yeah, I'll make an appointment to see the doctor in the morning." I said, mainly to placate him, but deep in my mind, I knew he was right. What I would never tell him is that I thought it was work that was causing my headaches. It was strange, but as soon as I got into the car park, this strange buzzing started in my head, not loud, but persistent. Like the sound of bees buzzing in the summer. It started a couple of weeks ago, just before my latest headache started, at first, it was just a quiet noise, and I could almost ignore it. But, as time has gone on, the buzzing has got louder, and more insistent, like more bees were joining the hive.

"You do that, Sook – I'm worried about you…" Sam was still talking – I could see his lips move, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Suddenly, the buzz had gotten so loud that I couldn't hear anything else.

I clamped my hands around my ears, and sank to the ground. The noise just got louder and louder, and I curled into a ball, just trying to do anything to block out the sound. Peace came with the blackness.

~BoB~

I woke up in the dark. Well, it was almost dark – there was a faint light on outside of the room I was in. I immediately realized I didn't know where I was; I certainly wasn't at home. I started to panic, until I felt a warm hand gripping mine. I looked down to find Jason, my brother, gripping my hand, with his head resting on the side of my bed. He was asleep.

I took a deep breath and tried to relax, then took a good look around the room I was in. I noted the white sheets and the rail on the side of the bed and realized I must be in hospital. I looked down at my right hand, and sure enough, there was a call button just to the side of my hand. I grabbed it and pressed the button.

A few minutes later, the door opened and a head popped round the door. "Hey Sookie, you gave us all quite a scare," said a quiet voice I hadn't heard in years, but that I would know anywhere.

"Amelia?" I whispered. I couldn't talk any louder since my throat was so dry.

"That's me Sweetie." She replied almost as quietly, obviously not wanting to disturb Jason. "Bless him, he's not left your side since you first came in," she said, indicating his sleeping form.

"What do you mean? How long have I been here?"

"You've been out for three days," she answered.

I swallowed, and grimaced before exclaiming "Three days! Where am I? What's wrong with me?"

By this point, Amelia had walked into the room and poured me a glass of water from the jug on the bedside unit. She helped me sit up, and held the glass to my lips while I took a drink. The water was room temperature, but was incredible on my parched tongue. "Shh, shh, relax girl," she whispered reassuringly. "You're in Shreveport General Hospital, and have been for a couple of days. They moved you here from Clarice so that they could do more tests on you."

"More tests?" I asked. What on earth could be wrong with me that needed me to come to Shreveport General?

"Yeah, but now you're awake, we might be able to find out more about your condition. What do you remember?" She questioned.

I took another gulp of water before answering "I'm not sure – I remember having a headache and taking a couple of aspirin, then I was talking to Sam, and the buzzing in my head got so loud, I felt like my head would explode, then the next thing I know, I wake up here. What happened?" I asked, panic starting to rise in my throat. I was beginning to hear buzzing again in my head, but this time it was a relatively low buzz – like an electric toothbrush. I winced, and put my right hand up to my forehead and rubbed my eyes.

Amelia was watching this, and asked if I was OK. "Of course I'm not OK" I whisper shouted at her, "I've just woken up in a hospital bed and have been told that I've lost three days of my life, I'm getting a headache, and to top it all off, I'm seeing my ex-best friend for the first time in 6 years after she dropped off the face of the earth – how would you feel?" I asked indignantly.

Jason stirred at my raised voice, and Amelia left the room telling me she was going to get me some painkillers. She had a hurt look on her face, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

When the door clicked shut, Jason's eyes opened and snapped straight to my face. "Thank God, you're awake!" he exclaimed, rising to his feet to kiss my forehead. I was surprised at this, because Jason and I had never been what you would call close. He's a couple of years older than me and we're just complete opposites – I'm quiet and my favourite pastime is to lie in the sun or in the tub with a good book and Jason is your typical tomcat – a different woman on his arm and in his bed practically every night. As his lips touched my forehead, I heard him say, "Thank you God, I've been so worried about her, she's my only family and I can't be without her."

This was strange for a couple of reasons: one – Jason isn't the type to pray, and two – he said this whilst his lips were on my forehead, and his lips didn't move.

I frowned and decided to file that one away for later just as Amelia strutted back into the room holding some pills in one of those small cups. "Here you go," she said a little tersely. "This should help your headache." She handed me the cup thing and another glass of water.

"Holy shit, Amelia looks hot in her nurse uniform. I wonder if she'd be my naughty nurse," Jason said.

I spluttered, and looked Jason in the face "Jason!" I scolded, "You can't go saying things like that!"

He just looked at me, confused. "What? What did I say?" he asked, looking between me and Amelia. I looked up at Amelia to see that she looked just as confused as Jason did.

"Never mind," I mumbled.

"OK Sookie, you need your rest, Jason, go home and get some sleep, Sookie's out of the woods now," declared Amelia authoritatively. Jason stood, and Amelia shooed him out of the room.

I lay back and pondered what had just happened. I knew Jason liked his women, but he wasn't normally a letch like that in front of them. Had he really said that, or had I imagined it? The more I thought about it, the more I figured I must have imagined it judging by both his and Amelia's confused reaction to my admonishment.

My last thought was 'Blimey, these painkillers are good' as my eyes closed and I drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2  Blood Sisters

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **TezyJ** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

**UPDATED 8TH MAR 2012**

**The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Two – Blood Sisters**

When I woke up again, it was light, and someone had their hand on my wrist. I looked down towards my left wrist, and saw the shortest woman I'd ever seen holding my wrist to check my pulse. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought she was a Hobbit or something because she was so tiny. Her shoulders were only just above the side of my bed. She looked like a more severe version of Tangina from _Poltergeist_, with her hair scraped back into a matronly bun. She had a stethoscope wrapped round her neck, and she was wearing a white lab coat, so I assumed she must have been a doctor.

"Oh good, girl, you're awake. Nurse Broadway told me you'd woken during the night." Well, she didn't sound like Tangina! Her voice was quite deep for a woman, and you could hear the attitude dripping from the tone she used. She sounded as though she really didn't want to be there – a strange tone to hear from a doctor, if that's what she was. "I'm Doctor Amy Ludwig, and I've been overseeing your case since you were brought in. How's your headache?" she asked as she was writing in my chart.

So, she was a doctor. I hoped that her terseness was just the way she was, and not aimed at me. I realised she was waiting for a response from me when I saw the impatient look on her face. "Erm, OK, I guess," I replied hesitantly. I did a quick mental inventory, and decided, "Actually, it seems to have gone… for the minute." I felt a bit more confident that my headache had actually gone, and that it wasn't just because I'd had a decent sleep for the first time in weeks, but I was still reluctant because I had a feeling it would come back sooner rather than later.

"Good," she stated with a nod as the door to my room opened again, and an orderly stepped through with a tray holding what must be my breakfast. The buzzing in my head started almost immediately when the orderly stepped into my room, and I tensed up.

"Wow, even when she looks like shit, she looks good, I could do that," the orderly leered.

"Excuse me?" I asked, irritated. I couldn't believe he had said that.

The orderly looked at me, muttered something then darted for the door. The buzzing stopped as soon as the door clicked shut, and I relaxed. Doctor Ludwig was watching me closely while this exchange occurred. She looked thoughtful then said "hmmm" as she reached into her pocket for a vial and a needle.

As she started to work on my arm, presumably to take some blood, I asked, "Doctor Ludwig, what do you think is wrong with me?"

"I'm not sure at the moment, but I have an idea. That's why I need to take some blood," she said as the small vial filled up. When the vial was filled, she removed the needle from my arm, and put a small band aid on the spot where the needle had gone into my arm before turning to leave the room.

"Are you not going to tell me what you're thinking?" I asked as she reached the door.

"If I'm right, you'll know soon enough, child," she replied cryptically before pocketing the vial of my blood and disappearing through the door.

I wasn't sure what to make of that, but I felt ravenous, so at this stage my priority was food. I would think about what the doctor said later. I sat up in bed, and pulled the table over to me so I could inspect my breakfast. (On the plate were scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages, and it looked surprisingly good for hospital food, but I don't know if that was just because I was so hungry. I took a forkful of the scrambled eggs that were piled on the plate and moaned appreciatively before scarfing down the rest of my breakfast.

When I was finished, I pushed the table away from my bed, and looked around the room again. There was a telephone on the bedside stand to the left of my bed, so I picked it up and dialled Sam's number.

"Sam, it's Sookie," I said when he picked up on the third ring.

"Oh, chère, it's good to hear your voice. How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm good, Sam, but they are doing tests on me to find out what's up – I'm not sure how long I'm going to be in here," I replied.

"Don't worry about it Sookie, I've got you covered. You concentrate on getting well, and I'll see you when I see you. I've gotta go, the beer truck's just arrived," he said, and I could hear the beeps the truck made as it reversed towards the back of the bar.

"Oh, alright then, Sam, speak to you soon," I sighed, hanging up. I was a little disappointed at not being able to talk to him, because Sam is the closest thing I have to a friend, especially since high school; and right now, I really needed someone to talk to. I sighed and sank back into the bed.

Suddenly I felt exhausted, so I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. I started thinking about my high school days, when Amelia and I were inseparable. We, along with our best friend, Pam, were known as the Three Amigos by everyone else at the school, we were always together.

When we were sixteen, we had a phase of being really into vampires and the supernatural, and we read every book and watched every film we could find, to satisfy our craving. One day on the way to school in Amelia's car, we heard a song about blood brothers, where three guys had cut each other's hands then held hands to become blood brothers.

We decided right then and there that we wanted to do the same thing. But with our fascination with vampires, we decided to do it a little differently. That night, we were having a slumber party at Pam's house, (since her parents were away on one of their very frequent business trips), and decided to perform the ritual there.

Once we had all arrived, and were settled onto the floor with our sleeping bags, Amelia produced an ornamental looking knife – it had a long silver blade, and an intricately carved handle that she said was made of bone – from her bag, and held it reverently. She laid it on a cushion on the floor between where we were all sat cross-legged.

"OK. To become blood sisters, we each have to make a small cut in our wrist and have the other person drink out of it." She said with authority.

We all agreed, but were hesitant at first to cut our wrists – what if something went wrong? And it would surely hurt like hell!

"OK, but we need some liquid courage first," Pam said, before she jumped up to her feet and disappeared downstairs to the kitchen. She re-appeared a couple of minutes later with a bottle of Grey Goose vodka.

None of us had ever so much as sipped an alcoholic drink before that night, and we felt mischievous but we needed the courage. Pam reached into the pocket on her dressing gown and drew out three shot glasses, then poured us each a shot.

We looked at one another, and counted to three before downing the shots. Amelia poured us each out a second glass and we downed that too. By this point, we were all feeling a little light-headed. "OK, let's get this show on the road," I suggested, not thinking it was a good idea to perform the 'ritual' if we were toasted.

I picked up the knife and laid it against my wrist then said, "I give you this offering so that we can become blood sisters, and be bound together forever," before running the knife across my wrist, deep enough to make my wrist bleed, but not deep enough to cause any serious damage. I held my wrist up to Pam first, who licked some of the blood off, and then to Amelia, who licked the rest of the blood off my wrist.

Pam went next, repeating the words that I had said, before offering Amelia her wrist first, then letting me clean the blood off her wrist with my tongue. Amelia took the knife last and repeated the words that both Pam and I had said, before her as she cut into her wrist. She offered me her wrist first, then Pam second.

When we had finished, Amelia said, "Sookie, your blood tastes different from Pam's – it's sweeter, somehow." Pam agreed that my blood was sweeter than Amelia's.

"I had some of Gran's pecan pie for dessert before I came round," I said with a laugh.

As the years went on, we were still as close as ever, hanging out at every opportunity and spending as much time as we could with one another. We had made a promise to each another the night that we became blood sisters that we would 'save ourselves' at least until we went to college, if not until we got married.

College never happened for me. Jason and I had lived with our Gran since our parents had died in a flash flood when I was seven, and Jason was ten. Money had always been tight for Gran, so college wasn't an option for either me or Jason. Besides, Gran was getting older, and I felt a responsibility to stay with her and look after her in her old age, as she'd looked after me when I was younger.

Towards the end of our senior year, Pam and Amelia started to notice the boys in our school, and decided that they wanted to change our pact to 'save' ourselves. They decided that they didn't want to start college as virgins, so they made an agreement to lose their virginity on senior prom night. None of us had boyfriends, so they had decided to hook up with their prom dates, who were just some random guys from school. They spend weeks trying to persuade me to do the same, but in the end, I'd lost my temper with them. I still held firmly to my belief that I should hold onto my virginity until I found someone I loved, and who I felt deserved the gift of my virginity.

I told them that losing their virginity just for the sake of it was slutty, and put them at the same level as the other sluts in our year who we had always laughed at. Not only was that bad enough, but pressurising me to do the same was completely unacceptable from my so-called best friends, and I didn't want anything more to do with them.

We ignored each other from that point, and I didn't go to the senior prom. My Gran had comforted me the night of the prom – I spent the night crying, because I'd lost my two best friends, probably forever. The week after the senior prom, Pam and Amelia were in Europe together. They both had rich parents, and often spent the summer together. They came back a couple of days before leaving for college, but I didn't see them.

They both left for college, Pam to study law, and Amelia to study nursing, which had been lifelong dreams for both girls, and I didn't hear a word from them during that time. In fact, I hadn't heard from either girl since that night when our friendship was irrevocably damaged.

Not until last night, when I saw Amelia for the first time in six years.


	3. Chapter 3 Supernatural

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **TezyJ** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

**UPDATED 12th MAR 2012**

**The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Three - Supernatural**

I woke up hours later in my hospital bed, with tears rolling down my face. I was crying for the loss of my friendship with my 'blood sisters', and for my Gran, who passed away a couple of years ago after suffering a massive heart attack. I was still sobbing when the door opened, and Amelia practically ran into the room.

"What's wrong, Sookie?" she asked as she sat next to me on the bed and wrapped her arms around me.

"My Gran," I sniffed, "I miss her so much, and all I want right now is to have her here to comfort me."

"Jason told me that she was gone. I'm so sorry Sookie. I wish I could have been there for you." She sounded genuine. "But I'm here now, though, and I'll be here for you, no matter what."

With that, the tears started again. "Thanks Meals, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry." I was apologising for my harsh words last night, and for the words that ended our friendship six years ago.

"Don't be silly, Sook, you're forgiven," she said firmly.

We talked for a couple of hours about what we'd been up to since we'd last seen each other – she had gone to college to study to become a nurse, and Pam had gone to study law. Meanwhile, I'd stayed in Bon Temps with Gran and took a clerical job which I'd hated. Because the money wasn't that great, I'd taken a second job at Merlotte's, waiting tables in the evenings. When the real estate agent that I worked for retired, I lost my clerical job, so I became a full-time waitress at Merlotte's.

When I asked about Pam, Amelia went quiet. "I haven't seen her for a couple of years," she eventually admitted. "She moved up to New York to work for some big law firm, and one night, she just disappeared."

"How come I never heard about it?" I asked.

"It was kept quiet by her parents. They said she'd left a note saying that she'd run away to live with a man and that they weren't to look for her. Since they never really bothered with her before, I don't think they even bothered to look for her. She said some pretty awful things to them in that letter. Not that they weren't all true, but still…"

We were both quiet after that, stuck with our own thoughts and memories of Pam. Pam had had a hard childhood. Yes, she was privileged because her parents were rich, but she may as well not have had them, for the amount of time that they spent with her. She was pretty much raised by the housekeeper. But when the housekeeper died, when Pam was fifteen, her parents decided that Pam was old enough to look after herself and the house, so they didn't replace her. Through that, Pam had learned to be fiercely independent, and had begun to resent her parents.

Amelia and I both knew that if Pam didn't want to be found, then no-one would find her.

After a while, I broke the silence, "What do you think of Doctor Ludwig, Meals?"

She grinned, "She's a character isn't she? She's the best there is though, and she only takes on special cases."

"Special cases? What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, while thinking _how the hell am I supposed to be able to afford the best doctor in the hospital?_

The worry must have shown on my face, because Amelia answered, "I'm not really sure, to be honest, but I know she takes on very few cases. Don't worry about your bill though; it's been taken care of."

"Taken care of? By whom?" I asked incredulously.

"Don't know, but it's been paid."

"That's got to be a mistake! Please go and check it out for me, I won't be able to rest until I find out what's going on."

"OK, Sweetie, I'll be back in a minute," she said before climbing down off the bed and leaving the room.

I felt a bit better, knowing I had my friend back, but I couldn't help but wonder about what had happened with Pam. She was always the most impetuous of us, but I had never envisaged her running off with some man. Maybe that man had given her something that her parents never had – support and affection...

About ten minutes after she left my room, Amelia returned to my room with a huge smile on her face. "Doctor Ludwig will be here in a minute to speak with you. I'm sorry I took so long, I've been checking on the guy in the room opposite yours. He's been in surgery with Doctor Ludwig to remove his appendix, and boy is he gorgeous! He's built like… Oh, Sookie, you should see him!"

I laughed, "'Checking on' or 'Checking out', Meals? You always were a sucker for a bit of muscle! If I ever get to leave this room, I'll be sure to 'check on' him too!"

Just then, Doctor Ludwig stepped into my room. She checked my chart again before saying, "I hear you want to know who has paid your bill, child."

"Yeah, I do. There's got to be some kind of mistake – I don't have insurance." I can't afford it with having to pay property taxes and the upkeep on my Gran's farmhouse.

"Rest assured, child, there's no mistake. Your bill is being covered."

It didn't look as though she was going to explain any further, so I pushed, "But how?"

"All I know is that I was contacted by a lawyer named Mr Cataliades. He told me that your bill was being covered by a fund managed by him. You'll have to raise it with him, if you believe there's been a mistake," said Doctor Ludwig impatiently.

"OK. Can you please give me his contact details before I leave?" I asked.

"Nurse Broadway has the details written down for you," she said dismissively. "Now, we must discuss your test results." _Oh no, that didn't sound good._

"OK," I mumbled, deflated.

"Nurse Broadway has probably told you that I only take on 'special' cases," started Doctor Ludwig, and I nodded. "Well, she's correct; I only take on supernatural cases." She was so matter of fact, as if she was saying "I only take on women", or "I only take on cases related to the brain", which was much more likely given my circumstances.

I sucked in a breath, and looked at Amelia, who looked back at me wide-eyed. "What do you mean?" I asked quietly.

"I mean that I only take on non-human cases." Again, so matter of fact, as if I should know exactly what she meant.

"Non-human? Are you saying that I'm not human?" my voice was rising now.

"Not one hundred per cent, no" she said, with impatience tainting her tone.

"Well, what am I?" I asked in disbelief. Amelia had grabbed my hand by now, and plonked herself into the seat beside the bed.

"I'm still running tests at this stage, but if I was to hazard a guess, I'd say you're about one eighth fairy."

"Sorry, what?" I asked. "Are you saying that there is such thing as fairies, like things with wings that 'live at the bottom of the garden' fairies?"

"Those are pixies. But yes, that's what I'm saying," said Doctor Ludwig in an exasperated tone.

I slumped back into my pillows. "So, what's wrong with me, Doctor?" I asked, barely more than a whisper.

"Fairies come into their power when they reach the age of twenty five. You'll be twenty five next month, is that right?" I nodded. "I thought so. Your fairy powers are beginning to develop, and the first that I think is manifesting itself is telepathy. There will most likely be more."

"Telepathy?" a shocked Amelia said. "She can hear thoughts? Well, that makes sense I suppose."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Remember last night, when Jason was here, and he woke up when I was in the room? You shouted at him for saying something?" I nodded, "Sookie, his lips never moved, and I didn't hear a thing."

"He was being crude about you in your uniform," I said.

Amelia laughed and said, "That's about right for Jason. But have you ever heard him say anything like that out loud?"

I thought for a minute, and replied, "No, I haven't."

Doctor Ludwig cleared her throat to catch our attention and we apologized. "As I said, you are only just beginning to come into your fairy powers. The process can take years, and your powers may stop at you becoming telepathic, or you may have more to come. I can't tell without completing the tests I have started, because without the results, I can't tell which clan you belong with, and therefore which powers you may have inherited. Once I find out, I will attempt to find you a fairy companion who can guide you through the change – you will need one."

I was absolutely gobsmacked. We spent all those years during high school obsessed by the supernatural, we were fascinated by it; but we didn't really believe that anything existed beyond our world. Now I was finding that there was actually some truth behind the myths.

"I must leave now to complete my tests. I will be back in the morning, Miss Stackhouse," Doctor Ludwig stated, as she walked out of the room.

"Did you know, Meals?" I asked, watching her face intently.

"Honestly, Sook; no I didn't. I obviously knew there was something, since Doctor Ludwig was treating you, but I had no idea what. I couldn't say anything until she had run her tests in case she was wrong."

"Has she ever been wrong?"

"Not while I've worked for her," she admitted.

I sat in silence, thinking about this morning's revelations. I'd just found out that the supernatural was real, and that I was somehow part of it. And most importantly, my friend knew about it, and hadn't told me. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"Sook, I'm sorry," Amelia offered as she reached for my hand. "It really wasn't my place to offer my thoughts, and I'm sure you would rather know the truth than my conjectures. There's nothing worse than hearing someone's opinion if that opinion turns out to be wrong."

I decided to take the mature approach, "You're right. I'm sorry too, Meals." I squeezed her hand in a gesture of acceptance. "So, what is the hunk across the corridor then?" I asked, then laughed, "God, that sounds wrong!"

She laughed with me, then replied, "Well, he's not a vampire, 'cause they can only come out at night!"

My eyes widened… there were vampires?

Amelia looked at her watch, "I should get going, Sook. You have a lot to think about, and I have a hunk of a man across the way to find out more about!"

She shut the door, and left me with my thoughts. Despite the news that I'd just been given, and the fact that my head was spinning with all the thoughts running through it, I was fast asleep again not long after she left the room.


	4. Chapter 4 Used

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **TezyJ** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

**UPDATED 18th MAR 2012**

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Four - Used**

I woke up in the morning feeling a lot better than I had done for a few weeks. Doctor Ludwig was in the room, inspecting my fingernails. I felt like a girl scout being put through inspection by their troop leader. She flipped my hand over to look at my palm, and nodded to herself. "Good morning, Miss Stackhouse, I see you're feeling better this morning."

"I am thanks. How can you tell that from my fingernails?" I asked, curiously.

"It's a skill of mine, girl," she replied tersely. That was clearly all I was going to get out of her about that! "Your test results have come through – I was accurate in my assumption. You are one eighth fairy, but there's also something else in there that I can't fully establish. Your fairy genes are those from the Sky Clan, so I have been in touch with Claudine Crane, a fairy also from that clan. She will meet you at your home today."

"Today? I can go home?" I asked with a smile.

"Yes," she replied. "But you must take it easy, and follow whatever instructions Claudine gives you. This is critical to your development. I have had a potion prepared for you to take to temper your telepathy – take one teaspoonful each morning when you rise, until you learn how to control your abilities." With that, she handed me a large brown glass bottle containing what appeared to be some form of gloopy liquid.

"Thanks," I said, as I took the bottle. I tried not to think about what might be in it. "Are you a witch?" I asked quietly, not really wanting to know the answer.

Doctor Ludwig let out a harsh chortle. "No child, I am a doctor!"

I was embarrassed for even asking, and blushed from my toes up. "Sorry," I said. "Just, from what you said before, I figured there must have been such a thing as witches. Obviously I was wrong, sorry if I offended you."

"Nonsense child, I don't offend easily. You aren't wrong, there are witches, I'm just not one of them. I can see that you have much to learn about the supernatural world, child. Claudine will teach you what you need to know, but I will give you some advice for free – keep your telepathic ability to yourself as much as possible. There are people out there who would love to exploit it, for it's a rare one."

"I will!" I stated fervently.

No-one likes being used, and I'd learned the hard way what it felt like. My first boyfriend, Bill, was a using bastard. I met him not long after Pam and Amelia left for college, when I was in a really low place. He was there for me – the perfect gentleman, who seemed comfortable just spending time with me, despite the fact that I had told him that I'd chosen to save myself until I was married.

It turned out that he was using me to make _his _ex, Lorena jealous, so that she would get back together with him, and I didn't see it until it was almost too late. I had fallen for him big style, but had stuck to my decision to save myself until I got married. At first, Bill told me that he respected my decision, but as time went on, he started to pressure me for sex. It started where his hands would roam when we were making out, then, as time went on, he would start to grope me when I just wasn't ready to take that next step

When I confronted him about it, he told me that saving yourself for marriage was an out-dated ideal, and that no-one in their right mind would reject sex with him. I couldn't believe that he wouldn't support me in my decision; I thought that he loved me.

We broke up not long after that. I couldn't stand the thought of being pressured into having sex when I just wasn't ready for it. The next night, I went to the video rental store for a tub of ice cream and a couple of chick flicks to watch to drown my depression. I saw Bill walking arm-in-arm with Lorena into the Crawdad Diner, and my heart broke, because then I knew without a shadow of a doubt, that I had meant nothing to him.

I shook my head to bring myself back to the present, and listened as Doctor Ludwig explained that I could leave as soon as I'd packed. She gave me a paper to sign, and told me that Amelia would be in momentarily to help me collect my things, and to take me home.

I didn't have much stuff since I'd been rushed into hospital, and had been asleep most of the time that I was there. But I had a few toiletries laid out next to the sink, so I washed my face and brushed my teeth before putting those into the bag, which Jason must have brought for me. I felt much better for having clean teeth and a clean face, then I set about trying to find something to wear from the bag. I couldn't wait to get home so that I could have a shower, or a long soak in the tub.

I love Jason, he's my brother, but I have to say, he can't pack a bag for a woman! I reached into the bag, and found a comfortable pair of yoga pants, and a loose t-shirt, but no underwear. I was growling with frustration when Amelia popped her head through my door asking if I was dressed. "No, Jason's brought me clothes, but no underwear!" I exclaimed. "I can't get dressed without underwear, especially with these!" I gestured towards my chest.

"Yeah, I can see where that could be a problem," she smiled. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll be back," she said, and disappeared out of the room again.

About twenty minutes later, Amelia re-appeared in my room, breathless and clutching a bag from Victoria's Secret. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "It's a present from me," she said sheepishly. "Consider it a make-up for all the birthdays and Christmases I missed while I was out of touch."

She handed me the bag, and I pulled out a lovely purple bra and panties set with Dream Angels printed on the tag. I checked the tags for the sizes, and found that Amelia had gotten me exactly the right size. I also noted that she had removed the price tag.

"Wow, thanks Meals, they're beautiful, but I gotta ask, how did you know my size?"

She looked sheepish again, and said, "I'm Doctor Ludwig's private nurse, so I was there when they brought you in - it was me that undressed you to put you in the hospital gown." I looked at her, confused. "I thought I'd come here from Clarice."

Amelia flushed, "You did, but Doctor Ludwig wanted you here, in her own ward, rather than in a general human hospital, just in case. At least here, she can control who comes into the ward. She has it posted as an isolation ward, so that only certain people can get access."

OK, now I was really baffled, and it was showing clearly on my face. Amelia jumped back in with, "Doctor Ludwig keeps an eye on the ambulance radio band and attends any supernatural case in the area. She has some way of arranging for all of the paperwork to be changed so that people are transferred here under her care."

Seeing my shocked expression, Amelia continued, "She has a register of all Supes in the area, including the part-human ones, in case she needs to intervene in an emergency. It wouldn't be good for certain people's blood to be tested in a normal lab, for instance."

"I suppose that makes sense," I said, because goodness knows what else was out there if there was such a thing as fairies.

Amelia continued: "I would have known that you weren't one hundred percent human anyway, even if I wasn't nursing for Doctor Ludwig," she said, then seemed to realize what she'd just said and clamped her mouth shut with her hand.

"What does that mean Amelia?" I asked with my hand on my hip.

"Well, I'mkindofawitch." She spoke so quickly, I could barely make out what she said.

"You're a _what_?" I asked, my voice raising about thirty decibels.

"Shh!" she said emphatically. "I said, 'I'm a witch.'" This time she looked proud.

"Okaaay... so there are fairies, and witches in the world. What else is there?" I asked in disbelief.

"Well, I know the guy in the room across from you is a werewolf," she said.

I burst out laughing. "You have got to be kidding me! Maybe these headaches have been caused by some kind of tumour, and I'm hallucinating all of this!" I was howling with laughter as I picked up my clothes and went into my bathroom to dress.

Amelia was silent, and when I came back into the room, fully dressed, I looked at her. She was deadly serious.


	5. Chapter 5 Meeting Claudine

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

Also HUGE thanks to my beta **GaijinVamp** for pointing me in the right direction and giving me her excellent advice and support.

**The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Five – Meeting Claudine**

The journey home to Bon Temps took about an hour from the hospital in Shreveport, and it was mostly silent. I could tell that Amelia was upset with me for laughing at her, but honestly, did she really expect me to listen to everything that she'd said, without laughing at some point? Until this morning, I'd thought fairies were things from kids stories, and now I'd found that not only were they real, but I was related to one. Then, to top it off, I was learning that there was a possibility of more creatures being real. As we drove through Bon Temps towards my home, I decided to break the silence.

"Meals, I'm sorry," I said, grabbing her hand. "It's just a lot for me to take in, you know."

She nodded, then smiled faintly, "I know, it was a lot for me to take in, too. But honestly, I'm not really any the wiser than you are about what else is out there, but wouldn't it be great if there really were werewolves and vampires!" By now, her grin had spread right across her face.

I pondered that. "I suppose, but I guess that depends on whether they are as blood thirsty and vicious as they were in the books we read when we were kids."

"They mustn't be, because if they were, we'd have heard about them by now, wouldn't we?" she suggested.

"Maybe…" I said, then trailed off into thought.

"Hey, maybe you could ask this Claudine person!" Amelia burst the silence with.

We turned onto my drive, and I grimaced at the way the car bounced from side to side as we hit the potholes on the drive that had gotten so bad they were impossible to avoid. I wished, not for the first time, that I had the money to repair the driveway.

Amelia didn't seem to mind, even though she'd always had the best of everything. Her dad, Copely Carmichael, was the owner of the largest construction company in the south of Louisiana. He had moved the family to Bon Temps just after Amelia was born, so that she wouldn't be brought up in the fast lane. To help with that, Amelia had taken her mother's maiden name, so that she wouldn't have the Carmichael name resting on her shoulders, while she was growing up. For all the care that Cope showed his daughter with things like that, they just didn't get on. As soon as Amelia left for college, he moved back to New Orleans to enjoy the bustle of city life.

Amelia pulled her car round to the back of the house, and popped the trunk so I could get my bag. I invited her in for coffee, then remembered about the lawyer who was supposed to have paid my hospital bill. "Hey, Meals, do you have the contact details for that lawyer?"

"Oh, yeah, here!" She said as she fished in her purse for a business card. The card looked like a normal business card. Not that I'd seen many, but it looked pretty much the same as other business cards I'd seen. It was plain white, and printed on one side was the name

**Damon Cataliades**

**Attorney**

On the reverse of the card, there were contact details, including an address in New Orleans.

"I'm going to ring him, and find out what's going on." I said firmly, then turned to pick up the phone. Looking at the back of the card, I dialled the number carefully.

The phone was answered after two rings by an older sounding gentleman. If not for his American accent, I would picture him as a rather chubby man wearing a bowler hat and bow tie. "Good afternoon, Damon Cataliades speaking."

"Oh, Hello, Mr. Cataliades, my name is Sookie Stackhouse... " I started, then paused, not sure what to say next.

"Good afternoon, Miss Stackhouse, I was wondering when you would call. We have much to discuss." He said kindly, filling in the silence.

"Yes, I suppose we do…" I replied, then trailed off again, still not sure what to say.

"I will be in your area tomorrow, as I have business in Shreveport this evening. I can pay you a visit before I return to New Orleans," He stated, all business.

"OK, that sounds good – I'm off work at the moment, so whatever time is good for you." I said, trying to be as accommodating as possible, after all, he was the one doing the travelling.

"I trust you're feeling better now?" He asked gently.

"Much better, thank you. I should thank you for paying my bill too." I said hesitantly. For all I was really pleased that I didn't have to pay the bill, I was still worried that I might have to pay him back somehow.

"Not at all, My Dear. How does eleven tomorrow morning sound?"

"OK, that sounds good to me" I said. '_It'll give me chance to clean this place up a bit_.' I gave him my address, and we hung up saying we'd see each other tomorrow morning.

While I was on the phone, Amelia had stood up and started wandering towards the back porch. I grimaced – the place was a pigsty – I'd been so unwell for the past few weeks, I had let the chores stack up. There was a mountain of laundry to be done, and the entire ground floor of the house, was covered with a fine coating of dust. At least I had managed to keep on top of the kitchen.

I realized with a start, that Claudine would be arriving today, and my Gran would kill me if the house was untidy. I went into the cupboard under the kitchen sink and grabbed a dusting rag and some furniture polish, then ran into the living room. I started with the fireplace, lifting ornaments and dusting as I went. It was by no means the thorough cleaning that the room needed, but at least you couldn't see the dust! When I finished the dusting, I went into the kitchen to put the dusting rag and polish back under the sink, then went onto the back porch to grab the vacuum cleaner. Amelia was sorting my laundry for me, and had already put a load on. "You didn't need to do that, but thank you." I said, gratefully.

"No problem, what are blood sisters for?" She asked with a grin.

I grabbed the vacuum cleaner and ran back into the living room to clean the floor. The place was so dusty; I could see the tracks where I'd been. I was disgusted that I'd let it get to this state, but really, I hadn't been well, and I live on my own. (Jason lived in the house that my parents had owned, and my Gran had willed me this house). '_Oh well,__'_I sighed, '_At least it's getting done now.__'_

When I'd finished the living room, I nipped down the hallway to check the bathroom. It was clean enough, since I didn't use it (I used the en-suite attached to my bedroom), so I gave the mirror a quick wipe down, made sure the fresh towels were stacked neatly on the vanity. I sprayed some air freshener to make the room smell nice, then closed the door behind me.

Satisfied that everything was as clean as I could get it in a short space of time, I took the vacuum back to the back porch. "I'm grabbing a soda, do you want one?" I asked Amelia.

"Sure."

"Come on then, let's sit." I said, and grabbed her hand to tow her to the living room.

We flopped down onto the sofa with our cans of soda, and I switched the TV on. I flipped through the channels until I found a rerun of Buffy. We sat and watched it for a while before Amelia broke the silence between us "wouldn't it be great if there was a real life Angel somewhere out there?"

"I prefer Spike myself – tall, blond, and a little bit dangerous." I said with a wink.

"Sookie Stackhouse, you surprise me!" Amelia squeaked

"What? You can't tell me a bit of danger doesn't turn you on, Meals" I giggled.

"That's not the point, Sook, you've always been the quiet one, and so far as I'm aware, you still are. I suppose it is always the quiet ones you have to watch out for though." she said with a smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I laughed

"Nothing at all, Sookie!" she said with a giggle.

We both jumped as we heard a knock on the door because we hadn't heard any cars on the drive. I took a deep breath, then stood to answer the door.

Claudine was a stunningly beautiful woman with long dark hair. I don't swing that way, but if anyone was going to make that happen, it was Claudine. When I opened the door, she stood back and looked at me appraisingly before wrapping her arms around me in a huge hug. "Sookie, it's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Claudine Crane."

I felt a little uncomfortable, being hugged by a total stranger, so I politely untangled myself from her arms. "Hi Claudine, come on in." I stepped aside to let her in, and directed her towards the living room, where Amelia sat pretending to watch Buffy. "Claudine, this is my best friend Amelia", I introduced the two women, and motioned for Claudine to sit.

Claudine sat on the edge of Gran's recliner with her hands on her knees, and I asked her if she wanted anything to eat or drink "I have lemonade or peach tea" I said.

Claudine almost jumped at the mention of lemonade. "Peach tea please, I can't go anywhere near lemon – it's deadly poisonous to fairies"

"Oh, right. I'm sorry. Peach tea it is then. Be right back." I rushed into the kitchen, embarrassed by my obvious faux pas.

"Thank you, Sookie," said Claudine, when I handed her the glass of tea. "Sit. I have loads to tell you." I glanced at Amelia to remind Claudine that we weren't alone and Claudine said, "Some of what I have to tell you, I can tell Amelia too. Since she's a witch, she needs to know some of this too. Other things, I will need to tell you alone, but we'll do that at another time, we'll just get the general stuff out of the way first."

She went on to tell us that there were indeed vampires and werewolves (and other were animals) in the world, and that a big announcement was going to be made at the weekend that would affect the whole of the supe (supernatural) community, as well as the world at large. She wouldn't go into detail, but told me in particular to be on my guard.

I wasn't really sure what that comment meant, but she didn't expand on it when I asked, so I changed the subject. "Claudine, do you know of a Mr Cataliades?"

"Yes, he's a part-demon lawyer to the supe community." At the mention of part-demon, I began to panic – this man was coming to my house tomorrow morning.

My panic must have showed on my face, because Claudine said with a smile "Don't worry, he's the kindest person you will ever meet, even if he can be lethal too."

We got to talking about my telepathy and Claudine told me that it was a very rare ability, and not a fairy trait. "You must have got that from somewhere else." She said.

Before we knew it, hours had passed, and I was beginning to feel tired again. I yawned, and clamped my hand to my mouth, apologising. Claudine laughed and told me not to worry, and that coming into your powers was exhausting, before standing and leaving. Amelia stayed, and I offered her the spare room, across the hall from my own bedroom for the night, since she had a long drive back to Shreveport.


	6. Chapter 6 Mr Cataliades

Once again, the reviews you've all left have been phenomenal - I'm amazed at how well this story has been received. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and added Blood on Blood to their alerts.

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

Also HUGE thanks to my beta **GaijinVamp** - your help has been invaluable, especially when you point out where I use phrases or terms which the rest of the world won't understand.

**The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Six – Mr Cataliades**

In the morning, I woke early (for me), and was alarmed to hear someone in the house, until I remembered that Amelia had stayed the night. I sat up in bed, relieved that for the moment, my headache had stayed away. I could hear Amelia coming along the corridor towards my bedroom, so I swung my legs over to the side of the bed in preparation for getting up. There was a light tapping against my bedroom door, so I called for Amelia to come in.

She came in to my room carrying a tray with toast, coffee and orange juice, and set it on my dresser when she realised I was up. "I was bringing you breakfast in bed, but since you're up, I'll leave it here for now." She said. I got the impression that she was trying to make up for lost time.

I thanked her, then stood to go to the bathroom. Once I'd finished in the bathroom, I returned to my bedroom to find Amelia sitting cross legged at the foot of my bed with the tray on the bed beside her. She was munching on the toast that she'd brought. I climbed back on the bed, and sat cross legged at the opposite end from Amelia, and picked up the cup of coffee that she'd brought me. I inhaled the delicious scent of the coffee, and thanked Amelia profusely for bringing my early morning lifeline to me.

She laughed and asked "What time's Mr Cataliades coming this morning?"

"Our appointment is for eleven. He said he had business in Shreveport last night, and I guess it must have kept him up late, since he wanted to come here late on this morning. He must have a long drive back to New Orleans when he's finished here." I told her. "Hey, are you working today?" I asked her.

"No, why?" she queried.

"I was wondering if you'd mind sticking around when Mr Cataliades comes. I don't know about you, but the thought of a half demon kinda gives me the willies!" I said.

"Yeah, I know what you mean!" Said Amelia. "But, Claudine said that he was OK, so I think we should be alright."

"But we don't know Claudine either." I pointed out.

"Doctor Ludwig does though, and I trust her implicitly." countered Amelia.

"OK." I admitted defeat, and silently prayed that I would survive my meeting with Mr Cataliades.

"I'll stay, if it would make you feel more comfortable," offered Amelia.

"You sure you don't mind?" I asked.

"Sure. It's not every day you get to meet a half demon!" she laughed. "Oh, by the way, don't forget to take your medicine." She said as she passed me the big glass bottle and a teaspoon.

"Right, thanks." I said as I took them from her. I opened the bottle, and poured (well, more like oozed) some of the gloop that was in the bottle onto the spoon. I grimaced as the smell of the thick, green, mud-like slime hit me. I held my nose, and swallowed the stuff off the spoon. "What in God's name is that? It's got to be the worst thing I have ever tasted!" I complained.

Amelia laughed and said "Did your Gran not tell you that the medicine that was best for you tasted worst?" I groaned and took another swig from my coffee cup, trying to take the taste of the medicine away. I was sure it was going to take about twenty minutes of tooth brushing to finally get rid of the taste.

We finished the rest of our breakfast in silence, then I got up saying "I supposed I'd better get ready for Mr Cataliades. I'm real nervous about what he's got to tell me."

"Well, you won't have long to wait, and whatever he tells you, I'm sure it must be good. Let's face it, it has to be, otherwise how else would your hospital bill be paid?" Said Amelia brightly, as she stood up and collected the tray to take back to the kitchen.

When she left my room, I went back into my bathroom to brush my teeth and take a shower. I brushed my teeth for a good five minutes before the taste of that God awful medicine out of my mouth, then I took the time to wash my hair and shave my legs. I didn't know this man, but he was a lawyer, and I was determined to make a good impression.

Once I finished my shower, I wrapped a towel round my body, and another round my hair before going back to my room to dress. I stood in front of my closet for about five minutes before calling out "Meals, what do you wear when you see a lawyer?"

Amelia came back into my room and stood beside me in front of the closet. She pulled out a white peasant skirt and tank top, which she paired with a wide brown leather belt and brown sandals. "You don't need to go too smart – he's visiting you in your own home after all, and this will really set off your tan."

I thanked her, and she left the room to allow me to get dressed. When I came out to the living room, I found her with a duster in her hand, giving the room a thorough clean (unlike the one I'd given it yesterday). "You don't have to do that, you know" I said to her.

"I know, but you know me, I've always been a clean freak, and it looked like you could do with a bit of a hand in here."

"Yeah, my Gran would kill me if she saw the state that this place was in, but I've just not been up to cleaning the house over the past couple of weeks." I said, embarrassed. I turned the radio on, then picked up another duster and helped Amelia. We danced to the music whilst we dusted, and in no time at all, the room was spotless like my Gran used to keep it.

We were both exhausted from our clean up disco, so we went to the kitchen for a drink. We sat at the dining table that had been in the kitchen for, probably, three or four generations, and talked about what we thought might happen today with Mr Cataliades. Before long, I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind Amelia, and saw that it was ten fifty five. I gulped, then said, "He'll be here any minute. I'm so glad you're staying with me – thanks Meals."

"Don't be daft, Sook, I told you I'd be here for you, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do." She replied.

At eleven o'clock on the dot, there was a knock on the door. I took a deep, steadying breath, then answered the door.

Mr Cataliades was exactly as I had envisaged him. He was a short-ish man, only an inch or so taller than my five foot four, and he seemed to be made entirely of circles. His stomach was one big circle, and his head was another, smaller circle on top. He was dressed casually in cream linen suit and a pale blue button down shirt with the top button undone, and under his right arm there was a black leather document wallet. I was glad that I hadn't dressed up.

"Miss Stackhouse, I presume?" he said in his jovial voice, which somehow perfectly matched his physique.

"Sookie, please. Won't you come in." I said, gesturing towards the living room. "I hope you don't mind, but I've asked my friend, Amelia to sit with me."

"Not at all Sookie, it may actually be good for you to have a friend with you today," he said. Well, that got me a little worried.

I offered him a drink, and Amelia went to get him a glass of iced tea when he agreed. I gestured for him to sit, and we got ourselves comfortable while waiting for Amelia to come back with the drinks. "Mr Cataliades," I said, once Amelia was back, keen to get everything out in the open. "I've got to be honest, and say I'm not entirely sure why you're here." I hoped I didn't come across as sounding rude.

"I understand." He said kindly. "I am here for a couple of reasons, Sookie. The first is to provide you with details of your trust fund, and the second is to give you this" he said, handing me an envelope addressed, by hand, to me.

I took the envelope and set it on the coffee table to open once he'd gone, then asked about the fund. He told me that the fund had been set up when I was born, and had grown to a considerable size since then, and that I'd be able to access it when I turned 25 next month. "The fund was set up by your grandmother, and your grandfather, Fintan." He told me.

"Fintan?" I asked. "I've never heard of anyone called Fintan. He wasn't my grandfather."

"I understand that Doctor Ludwig has explained something to you of your heritage?" He queried, then continued when I nodded. "The person that you know as your grandfather wasn't actually your grandfather. Fintan was a half fairy, who fathered your grandmother's children – your father and your aunt. As I understand it, her husband was unable to father children, and when she met Fintan, there was an…. attraction." He said tactfully.

I was absolutely astounded. All my life, I'd believed that I knew who my grandfather was, and now I was hearing that he wasn't. My whole life had been a lie. However, I was determined not to cry in front of this stranger. Amelia sensed my struggle, and sat on the arm of the couch, and put her hand on mine.

I drew my strength from Amelia, took a deep breath then asked "So, how much is this fund worth?"

"At present, the fund is worth one point five million dollars, but it's set to double in size on your twenty fifth birthday, when it matures." He told me calmly. _Three Million Dollars? I've been lucky to have had three hundred dollars to my name before now. _I thought to myself. _This has got to be a dream._

"There are a couple of stipulations regarding this fund." Continued Mr Cataliades. "Firstly, you must keep the secret of your heritage – obviously, there are things that most people just don't need to know." I nodded in agreement. "Secondly, you must follow the instructions of Ms Crane regarding the development of your abilities; and thirdly, you must keep the fund itself a secret from everyone else."

"Everyone else?" I asked "What about my brother?"

"Jason has already had a similar, though much smaller fund, which he gained access to on his twenty fifth birthday. He also had the same stipulation of keeping the fund a secret, although he wasn't given the details of his heritage. You have what the fairies call 'the essential spark', whereas Jason does not. This is why your fund is larger – it has been added to by your fairy ancestors."

I was beginning to feel overwhelmed by what I had been told, and felt another headache coming on. I sat in silence for a couple of minutes, trying to comprehend everything.

"I'm sorry, Mr Cataliades" I said quietly "this is just a lot to take in, and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed."

"That is perfectly understandable, my dear. I will ask you to sign this paperwork, then I will leave you in peace." He said, handing me a sheaf of paper with those sticky arrows showing me where to sign, and a beautiful fountain pen.

I signed the paperwork, then handed it and the pen back to Mr Cataliades. He stowed the paperwork back in his document holder and stood with his hand outstretched to mine. "It has been a pleasure meeting you, Sookie. I know this has been a lot to take in, so I will leave now, but please know that I am always available if you feel the need to speak with me regarding anything that we have discussed today. I will be back in touch next month to discuss your fund and what you want to do with it once it reaches maturity. Until then…"

I shook his hand, and showed him to the door.

Once he had gone, I returned to the living room, and picked up the envelope from the coffee table. I would recognise the writing anywhere. It was my Gran's. I sank to the sofa before opening the letter. It was dated only a couple of weeks before she died. With tears filing my eyes, I read:

_My Dearest Sookie,_

_If you are reading this, I will have passed, but please don't be sad. I left this letter with Mr Cataliades for safekeeping until you were ready to receive it, and I know that you will have had a lot to take in today._

_I know that you will be feeling down, and probably that your whole life has been a lie. I understand why you would feel that way, but please believe me when I say that it was for your safety as well as my own. Please also believe me that I loved your grandfather with all of my heart._

_When I met Fintan, I was in a very low place. I had been married for five years, and your grandfather and I had been trying for years to have a family, but it was simply not to be. I met Fintan one evening when I was pulling in the laundry off the line, and he was easily the most exquisite man I had ever laid my eyes on – I thought he was an angel. I am not saying that as an excuse to justify what I did. All I can say is that I was smitten. I did and still do, love your grandfather, and nothing he or I did would ever change that._

_Fintan talked to me, and asked me why I was so sad. I explained my situation, and he told me that he would be able to help your grandfather and I. The more we talked, the more excited I felt at the prospect of becoming a mother. In those days, you were seen to be inadequate if you were unable to bear children. Again, I do not use this as an excuse, merely to help you understand why I did what I did._

_Anyway, after a lot of talking with Fintan and your grandfather (yes, your grandfather knew), we decided that I would carry Fintan's children on the understanding that he would have no direct contact with them and that he would provide for them if they were ever in need. The choice of no direct contact was Fintan's, rather than mine or your grandfather – he felt that it was best for the protection of the children. I didn't argue with that, as your grandfather and I were so desperate for children; we were prepared to do anything to accomplish that._

_Fintan kept his promise, and I was able to become a mother to your father and Aunt Linda, and I will always be grateful to him for that. _

_I knew that Fintan was different, which is part of the reason we agreed that he would stay away from us once your father and Aunt Linda were past their infant stage. Although he stayed away, I kept in touch with him, and sent him letters, and pictures of your father and Aunt Linda; then later of yourself, Jason and Hadley. _

_When each of you were babies, I allowed Fintan to visit you just once, so that he could see his grand children. He told me that you had the 'essential spark' and that you would come into some special powers when you reached twenty five. I'm not sure what those powers might be, but Sookie, I believe whatever they are, you will be able to handle them._

_You have always been a wonderful, smart, attractive young woman, with a wonderful soul. I only hope that one day, you will feel able to trust people once again, as I know your trust has been broken by people who you cared for in the past._

_Once again, I apologise if you feel that I have become one of those people, but again ask that you find it in your heart to forgive me._

_Your loving grandmother_

_Xxx_

By the time I finished reading the letter, I was bawling my eyes out, and it took all of my strength to stagger to my room. I fell on my bed fully clothed and cried myself to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7 Pam

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

Also HUGE thanks to my beta **GaijinVamp** - I'm sure correcting chapters that were written at 3 in the morning isn't exactly your favourite thing to do x.

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Seven – Pam**

I slept fitfully that night, my mind whirring with all of the things that I had been told. The thought at the forefront of my mind was that my whole life was based on a lie, and that I wasn't who I had thought I was. Even when my Gran had died, I hadn't felt the kind of emotional turmoil I was feeling right now.

I eventually drifted off into a deeper slumber, but my dreams haunted me. I saw images of a beautiful man approaching my grandmother when she was younger and seducing her in front of my grandfather. I shouted to my Gran to stop what she was doing, and that this man was not all he seemed, but she didn't hear me.

I was woken a couple of hours later by the sound of my name being repeated, and two pairs of arms wrapped round my shoulders. When I opened my eyes, the room was dark, but in the dim light coming through the doorway, I could see Amelia on my right, and Pam on my left. "Pam?" I croaked, not quite believing my eyes.

"Yes, Sweetie, it's me." She said quietly.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

"Amelia let me in. I felt your pain, and decided to come to you, my blood sister." She replied calmly.

"You felt my pain?" I was really confused, and my lack of sleep wasn't helping matters.

"Yes, recently, I have become aware that I was able to feel yours and Amelia's emotions if they were particularly strong, and this evening, yours have sky rocketed. Can you tell me what's wrong? Amelia has informed me that it wasn't her place to tell me," she said.

"I'm…I'm not sure what to tell you, Pam," I said, hesitantly. After all, Pam had been my best friend for years, but now she was like a stranger to me. "I've just been told that my grandfather wasn't who I thought he was, and that my Gran had an affair to become pregnant with my Dad and Aunt Linda." I told her, breaking down into tears again.

The girls wrapped their arms around me again, and held me, whispering quietly until I calmed down enough to talk. I decided that I didn't want to think about Gran or anything else at the minute, so I asked, "Pam, I heard you disappeared from New York, where have you been?"

"At first I visited Scandinavia, then I travelled Europe for a while. I stayed in London for a couple of years, then moved back to Shreveport last month with my business partner," she told us both.

Amelia snorted, "Your business partner! Yeah, right Pam, if you move somewhere with someone, it's got to be a lovely chunk of man meat."

"Actually, my business partner _is_ a man, and a drop dead gorgeous one at that, but I'm not interested," she retorted.

"Not interested? Why not?" I asked.

She smirked as she replied, "Because, my dear Sookie, I don't swing that way. I prefer my _partners_ to have different equipment from Eric."

I was shocked at that, but then, Pam was always the most adventurous of the three of us. I decided not to pass judgement, and said nothing about it. Clearly, Amelia had made the same choice, because she said "So what brought you back to Shreveport?"

"Eric and I have decided to open a nightclub in Shreveport. In fact, we will be opening a week on Saturday, you should both come to our opening night. I'm sure Eric would love to meet you both." She said with a leer.

We talked some more about the night club, and asked about Eric. "He's your typical Scandinavian." She replied. "Tall, blond, and gorgeous. Picture a Viking, and that's Eric." I couldn't really imagine it – my idea of Vikings had always been quite tall, scantily clad but well built men, with long beards braided on either side, wearing an iron helmet with horns, and carousing with flagons of beer. I didn't think there would be anyone walking around these days with a braided beard or a horned helmet. On the other hand; tall, scantily clad and muscular, I could deal with!

"Yum!" said Amelia enthusiastically. "Will he be there on your opening night?"

"Of course" said Pam "He owns three quarters of the club. It's in his interests to attend. In fact, I believe he will be the main attraction." I was intrigued now, this Eric person seemed to be quite the character. But reading between the lines, I imagined that he would be quite arrogant. I'd reserve judgement though, until I'd met him.

"I can't wait to meet him!" Said Amelia, excitedly. Pam gave her a knowing smile, and carried on talking about the club, and what it was going to be like. It sounded like it was going to be quite an exclusive club, and Pam said that their aim was to become so exclusive that everyone wanted to go.

I asked why they'd chosen Shreveport rather than New York. "In New York, bars and clubs are ten a penny, so there's little opportunity to create a niche market like there is somewhere like Shreveport," she responded. "Besides, I felt it was time to come a little closer to home. I missed you and Amelia."

"Aww, I missed you too Pammy!" I said, giving her a quick hug.

Pam pulled away, "Don't call me Pammy! I _hate_ being called Pammy! And if you even think about calling me that in front of Eric next weekend, I'll have your guts for garters." I wasn't entirely sure this threat wasn't serious.

Amelia saved the day by changing the subject. "So, what kind of clothes do we wear at your _exclusive_ club Pam?"

"Hmm…" contemplated Pam. "I'd imagine that most people will come in a kind of goth attire, but really, red and black are the colours of choice."

"I don't have anything red or black" I said, thinking of the cost of a new outfit. "I wear black for work, so I don't really want to go in black."

"That's OK, Sook, I think you'd look great in red. In fact, I saw a beautiful red dress when I was looking online the other day. Here, I'll show you…" said Amelia, as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She pressed a few buttons, and said "Yeah, that's the one!" as she handed me the phone.

The dress she showed me was gorgeous. It was like a tube dress, and came to mid-thigh, but was gathered so that the left thigh was slightly more exposed than the right, and it had a fabulous sparkly detail that ran down from the left shoulder to the bottom of the dress to create the gather. It came with elbow length red gloves, and was modelled with a pair of strappy red sandals that looked perfect with the dress. I loved it.

"That's just what I pictured, but you don't think it might look a bit slutty?" I asked, feeling a little nervous about having quite so much skin on display.

Pam looked at the image on the phone and made an approving noise. "I think it would be perfect, Sookie. It's just the kind of image we're going for in the club. Sexy, but not slutty."

"The colour would look great with your tan and figure, Sookie, and I doubt that you could look slutty in anything – you're gorgeous!" Amelia said sincerely.

I took the phone back from Pam, and studied the picture again. The model was dark haired, and my chest was bigger than hers, so I had to try hard to imagine myself in the dress. The image in my head was fabulous. I checked the price, and was extremely pleased to find that it was well within my price range, so I said, "OK, Amelia, can you order it for me, and I'll give you the money."

She grinned "Not a problem! Now all we need to do is shop for shoes, and something for me to wear. I'm sure I saw a pair of shoes exactly like those in a shop in Shreveport." We made plans to go shopping in Shreveport when Amelia was next off work, the following Tuesday. Pam said that she couldn't come as she had too many things to do to prepare for the opening of the bar.

We talked for a few hours more. Pam told us about her trip to Europe, and her time in London. She told us about the many shows that she'd seen in London, and that '_Phantom of the __Opera_' was her all time favourite. She said that the way that the chandelier rose up from the stage to the ceiling was amazing, and that she had wanted to put a similar chandelier in the club, but that Eric had vetoed the idea. She was hoping to change his mind before opening night though. "There's absolutely no way I'm going to have those stupid shiny balls hanging off the ceiling in my club. It's supposed to be high-class," she huffed.

Knowing Pam from old, I was sure that she would be able to wear Eric down, and get her own way. I could picture a nightclub with a chandelier, and it did sound a lot more sophisticated than a disco ball, but I would imagine that it could throw the light in a very similar way.

We moved on to other topics, until at 5:30 AM, both Amelia and I were yawning our heads off. I invited both girls to stay. Amelia agreed, she was practically asleep on her feet, but Pam declined. "I'm sorry, Sookie, but I have so much to do to get the club ready for opening, I really have to go." She said, glancing out of the window at the sky which was beginning to lighten. She suddenly seemed to be in a hurry to leave.

Pam gave both of us hugs, then dashed out of the door. I heard her car roaring down the driveway, and the sound grew faint, as it disappeared into the distance. '_I wonder why she's in such a hurry?__'_ I thought. But as soon as my head hit my pillow, I was fast asleep, and had forgotten all about it.

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**Sookie's opening night dress** www (.) lionella (.) net/p/short-red-dress?currency=GBP


	8. Chapter 8 Revelation

I continue to be amazed by the response that this story has got so far - thanks to all of you who have reviewed and/or added this story to favourites/alerts - you've really made my day.

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

Also HUGE thanks to my beta **GaijinVamp** - I promise I'll work harder on the grammar to save you some work!

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

Ok, on with Chapter 8 - Sookie gets to find out what all the fuss was about, and maybe there was something different about Pam?

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**Chapter Eight – Revelation**

When I woke up the next day, it was almost three in the afternoon. I pottered around in my bedroom and bathroom before going into the kitchen to get myself some coffee and something to eat. I found Amelia sitting at the kitchen table nursing her own cup of coffee, browsing the local paper. "Morning!" she said cheerfully, while I poured myself a cup of coffee.

"Afternoon!" I replied sarcastically, as I popped some bread into the toaster. "Want some?" I asked.

She declined, telling me that she'd already eaten. "So…quite a day yesterday." She said. "How are you feeling today?"

"To be honest, Meals, I really don't know," I replied. "There was just so much to take in, and that stuff about Gran has thrown me for a loop. I feel like my entire life has been based on a lie. I also don't know how much of it I can share, and with whom." I said with a tinge of sadness. I wondered if Jason knew about any of it, and how much smaller his trust fund had been.

"Probably best to keep it to yourself, for the moment at least." Amelia said thoughtfully. "Both Claudine and Doctor Ludwig have hinted at something big that's about to happen soon. Maybe it's better to wait until after then, before you way anything to anyone, if you say anything at all."

"Yeah, you're probably right," I agreed. "I can ask Claudine how much I can share too." After all, Claudine was supposed to be my mentor in all things supernatural.

"That's a real good idea, Sook. At least she should be able to tell you what is safe to share."

We sank into a comfortable silence while I finished my toast and drank my coffee. My head started to buzz and I realised I hasn't taken my medicine yet today, so I poured myself a teaspoon of the disgusting green goo, and swallowed it as quickly as I could manage, trying to avoid the taste of it. It didn't work; the taste seemed to coat my tongue. I had finished my coffee, so I dived into the refrigerator to get some orange juice. I was so desperate to get rid of the taste, I chugged it straight from the carton.

I finished chugging the juice out of the carton with a lip smack and an "Ahhhh!", then turned to see Amelia with an amused look on her face. "What?" I asked. "That stuff is disgusting, I'm not entirely sure it's fit for human consumption."

"Every single ingredient in it is edible." She said confidently.

"Maybe separately," I argued, "but combined, it's just downright disgusting. Even dirt tastes better!" I knew. I'd eaten some when I was in third grade as a dare.

Amelia laughed and asked "But does it work?"

I thought about it for a bit. "Yeah, I didn't get a headache yesterday, and today the buzzing started, which was what reminded me to take the stuff in the first place, and that's stopped now."

_Thank goodness for that. I didn't know if my potion was going to work. Doctor Ludwig assured me that it would__,__ but I wasn't sure, and I hate seeing her in pain._

"Good. That's the most important thing," she said.

I had been looking at her face, so I knew that she hadn't said the first part aloud, although it was as clear to me as if she had. I decided to test a theory. "_You_ made that stuff?" I asked incredulously. "Were you trying to kill me?"

She flushed. "Yes, I made it." she said defensively. "It was made for a specific purpose, and witchcraft's not like baking, so I couldn't try it to see what it tastes like."

The proud undertones going through her mind, and her words served to make me feel guilty. "Right, sorry." I apologised, then steered the conversation to safer waters. "I see Maxine Fortenberry hasn't changed!" I pointed down to the long letter in the "_Your __Views_" editorial page, in the paper spread out in front of Amelia. Maxine Fortenberry has written a letter of complaint about something or other to the editor of the local paper every week for as long as I could remember.

Amelia laughed, and we started to discuss the things we remembered Maxine complaining about. All the while that we were talking, Amelia's thoughts were becoming more and more clear to me, and it was really confusing separating what she was thinking from what she was actually saying. The strain must have showed on my face, because Amelia stopped what she was saying, and looked at me with concern written all over her face. "You OK?" She asked.

"I'm fine," I lied. "No headache. I must still be tired or something."

She looked unconvinced, then turned to look over her shoulder at the clock. "Well, I'd better get going. I have to go to work in the morning, and I have stuff to do at home... and you can get some more rest."

I felt awful lying to her, but I needed some time to myself to process things. "Oh, OK, then I'll see you next week for our shopping trip?"

"I'll be there with bells on! I've got an idea in mind of what I want, and I know exactly where to get it." She said, as she walked towards the door. She opened the door, then wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. "I've missed you, Sook, and I'm sorry I didn't get in touch with you. But after everything that happened, I wasn't sure if you still wanted to be friends."

"I might not have wanted to at the time." I replied honestly. "But I'm glad we're back in touch now, and Pam too. Give me a call over the weekend sometime to make arrangements for shopping."

She agreed, and tightened her arms around me briefly before walking to her car. I sighed a breath of relief when she drove away, glad to be alone for a little while.

Left to my own devices for the first time in almost five days, I plonked myself down on the sofa to think about everything that had happened over the past few days. Still confused over what I could tell people, I picked the phone up and called the number that Claudine had left me. "Hey, Claudine, it's Sookie." I said when she answered. "I need some advice. I'm not sure how much I can tell people about what's going on with me."

"As little as possible," she responded. "The supernatural world is a very secretive one, and the less people know about it, who aren't involved with it, the better. I suggest you call your boss and tell him that your headaches have been brought on by a sudden increase in sensitivity to noise, and that you need to rebuild your immunity to it. You're going to need a couple of weeks off work to do that, and I will spend time with you every day to try to help you achieve that." I felt a little more hopeful, and at least Claudine had given me a cover story to tell people for now. I only hoped that they believed it. I thanked her and we hung up.

I considered what I was going to say to Sam for a few minutes, before I picked up the phone again. "Hey Sam, it's Sookie," I said, when he answered the phone.

"Hey Sook, how you feeling?" He sounded pleased to hear from me.

"Getting better," I replied. "The doctor told me that my headaches were being caused by a sudden increase in sensitivity to noise, and that I had to build up my immunity to it again. She said that I should take a couple of weeks off work to do that, since a bar isn't exactly a quiet place." It wasn't, there were so many people with so many thoughts, I genuinely didn't think that I would be able to cope with it right now, being alone with Amelia this morning had been bad enough.

"Sure, Chère," he said immediately, "Take as long as you need. I want my best waitress/singer well. Just keep in touch, and let me know when you're thinking of coming back to work. I've got your shifts covered for now though."

"Thanks Sam," I said genuinely. "I sure appreciate that. I'll call you soon." We said our 'goodbyes', then hung up.

I sat on the sofa thinking about Jason, and what I should tell him. I knew I'd have to tell him the same thing that I told Sam, so that there weren't loads of different stories about me round town, but I just couldn't face talking to him yet. I couldn't face the fact of talking to him, when I knew so much more about our family history than he did. I sighed, and decided to put it off until the morning. I realised that I was still feeling exhausted, so I locked the doors, and made my way back to bed.

oOo

The rest of the week went by really quickly. Claudine was true to her word and spent a couple of hours each day with me. Since I couldn't hear her thoughts, we went out to get me used to my telepathy. We started small, just taking a walk around Bon Temps in the middle of the day so that there wouldn't be many people round. Then, we went to Tara's Togs – a small clothes store owned and run by a girl who was in my year at school. While we were there, I indulged in my lingerie addiction, and bought a beautiful red lacy strapless bra and thong set to go with my dress for opening night.

Over the next couple of days, we went to places that were busier and busier, and I learned that if I concentrated, I could manage to block out the thoughts. It was like blocking out conversations around you when you're talking to someone in a busy place, but still being able to hear it in the background. Claudine thought that the more I tried, the easier it would become, and that once I had mastered it, I would be able to stop taking that God Awful medicine.

That's how we ended up at Merlotte's on Friday night for a couple of hours. I wanted to test my ability to shield other people's thoughts from my head, and carry on a normal conversation at the same time. All the time we were together during the week, Claudine and I had talked. I told her about myself, and she told me about my ancestors and the supernatural. Tonight, Claudine felt we should just have a little girl time, so that I didn't become overloaded with information, while struggling to cope with my telepathy.

Actually, I was doing really well. It was exhausting, but Claudine's silent mind helped me to rest – If I got really tired, I concentrated on listening to her mind. It wasn't entirely silent, more like the white noise you get when your TV isn't tuned in properly and the screen is all snowy, but it was quieter than most people. I had also realised that some people's thoughts were easier to read than others – some were crystal clear, as though they were saying the words out loud; others were quiet, like a radio with the volume turned down; while others were just snarls of emotion and really unclear. I was contemplating that, when suddenly everyone in the bar went quiet.

The sudden quiet made me snap out of my thoughts and pay attention to what was happening. The sports program that had been on the big screen TV that Sam had in the bar had been interrupted by a breaking news alert, and everyone's attention was now on the television.

Sam normally kept the volume on low, so that the sound of it didn't interfere with people's conversations. But he reached behind the bar to the remote, and turned the volume up, without moving his eyes from the screen. On screen, there was a woman with short blonde hair called Nan Flannegan, who claimed to belong to an organisation called the American Vampire League (AVL). She was saying that all around the world, in simultaneous broadcasts, vampires were coming 'out of the coffin' and admitting their existence. She said that the recent Japanese development of synthetic blood had allowed vampires to start living without the need to feed from people. She added that the synthetic blood meant that vampires were no longer a threat to people, and that they could now successfully integrate into society without any problems. She was asked a few questions, and she repeated the fact that vampires were no longer dangerous to humans as the synthetic blood covered all of their nutritional needs.

I was gobsmacked – this must have been the 'something big' that both Claudine and Doctor Ludwig had hinted at. Everyone else in the bar was also stunned into silence, but once the broadcast was over, not only did conversations restart much louder than before, with people panicking about what the news would mean for them, and worrying about their families at home, but everyone's brain appeared to restart much more loudly at the same time too. The sudden influx of thoughts felt as massive as the electrical surge when everyone got up to make coffee during Superbowl half time. It broke down my shields, and I was battling to throw them back up, but it was just too much. My struggle must have been evident on my face, because Claudine came to my side, and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. I tried to concentrate on her fuzzy mind to block out the other thoughts in the room as we made our rapid exit to the front door.

As we reached the door, I threw Sam an apologetic glance, before I hurried out to Claudine's car. We got into the car, and she sped towards my house. As we got a little further away from the bar, the clamour quieted, and I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. "Well, that was unexpected," I said.


	9. Chapter 9 Invitation

Wow! Just WOW! I can't believe the number of people who are reading my story, and with every chapter, the number of people visiting this story goes up. I must be doing something right!

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

Also HUGE thanks to my beta **GaijinVamp**, who has to be the hardest working beta around, with all the work that she does to get my chapters ship-shape - you're an angel xx

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

Next up, chapter nine, and the introduction (finally) of our favourite Nordic vampire

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**Chapter Nine – Invitation**

We arrived back at my house and I invited Claudine in for a drink, before she left to go back to her own house in Monroe. We chatted about the events of this evening, and what the implications would be for everyone. We concluded that so long as the vampires were true to their word, and remained 'harmless' to humans, then they would be able to integrate well into society. We also figured that with the number of 'goth' type people who would be fascinated by all things vampire, they would probably do extremely well in business.

We chatted for a while longer, until I could barely keep my eyes open, and Claudine excused herself. I dragged myself to bed, and slept like the dead.

The weekend was quiet – I saw Claudine, and we continued to work on my shields in the hope of avoiding another disaster like I had on Friday night. I was keen to master shielding my head in large crowds, because I really wanted to be there for Pam on Saturday night. And besides, I was actually quite looking forward to meeting this Eric person – she'd painted an intiguing picture of him, although I was still a bit unsure of his attitude.

I spent the rest of my weekend catching up on all of the housework that had gone undone over the past couple of weeks. Plus, I made arrangements to meet with Amelia in Shreveport on Monday morning to shop for our outfits for the opening night of Pam's club.

On Monday morning, I stopped at the end of the driveway to collect my mail before carrying on to Shreveport. Normally, I would just throw it into the back seat of my car to read later, but this morning, one of the envelopes caught my eye. It was handwritten, and the writing appeared to be Pam's.

I threw the rest of the letters onto the back seat as usual, then tore into the envelope from Pam. The envelope contained a letter on crisp white paper folded in half. When I opened the letter up to read, another couple of pages dropped onto my lap. I picked them up to have a look. One was an invitation to the opening night of 'Fangtasia – _the bar with bite',_ and the other was a photograph of a stunningly attractive man with long, blond hair and piercing blue eyes. On the back of the picture there was a note:

_Looking forward to meeting you – Eric x_

I didn't know what to make of that, but my God, the man was gorgeous! I couldn't wait to meet him either! I glanced at the invitation, and liked what I saw. It was like a post card, with the name of the club on the front, and details of the opening night on the back. On the front, the word 'Fangtasia' was written in a scrawling script in what looked like a red neon light on a black background, and underneath it, in white writing, 'the bar with bite'. Beneath the 't' of 'bite', there was a pair of fangs, with a small drop of blood dripping from the right fang. Once I looked over the invitation, I picked up the letter again, and read;

_Sookie,_

_I've enclosed your invitation to the opening night of Fangtasia. I __truly__ hope you can make it._

_I can feel that your emotions have settled somewhat since the other night, and I trust that whatever it was that had you so upset has been resolved (I get the feeling that there was more going on than you told me)._

_As you will no doubt have guessed from the invitation, I had a secret of my own, but I hope you will forgive me for not sharing with you when I came to yours the other night. Please know that I love my new life, and Eric is a fantastic sire. I wouldn't have it any other way._

_Although we anticipate that Saturday night will be extremely busy, I expect that I will be able to get time out to talk to you and Amelia, as I'm sure you will have lots of questions for me. I know Eric is keen to meet you both, you especially._

_Hope to see you on Saturday, and when you come, there will be no need for you to queue._

_Speak to you soon,_

_With all my love_

_Pam_

_Xx_

OK – what did that mean about Eric being keen to meet me? I was still looking forward to going – I hadn't had a night out in... well, ever, and I was excited, but I was also extremely nervous about meeting a vampire. To me, Pam didn't count as a vampire, because I'd known her forever, but Eric was a different matter.

Even if he wasn't a vampire, I would probably find him intimidating, just because he was so good looking. Who in their right mind wouldn't be intimidated by a man with supermodel good looks? But now that I knew he was a vampire, I was a little worried because he had shown an interest in me – what did he want me for? I wasn't prepared to be his next meal.

I tried not to think about it as I drove to Shreveport. I turned up my radio and sang along to the songs being played, If I heard a new song that I liked, I listened carefully, trying to decipher the lyrics so that I could use them in future when I sang at Merlotte's.

I pulled up into a parking space in the parking lot at the mall in Shreveport, put my letter, invitation and photograph into my purse, then got out of the car to meet Amelia. I met her as we had agreed outside of the food court at the mall, and she was bouncing with excitement. I could hear her excitement, even though my shields were up. I re-enforced my shields, before I went to give her a hug (I'd found that physical contact increased my telepathy). "Hey Meals, how you doing?" I asked with a smile.

"I'm great Sook! Did you get your invite this morning?" She said excitedly.

"I did. Plus a letter from Pam, and a photo of Eric." I replied with a smile. At mention of the photo, Amelia's eyes popped. I hoped I hadn't made a mistake in telling her about it.

"A photo! Have you got it with you?" she asked. I nodded. "Let me see! The way Pam described him, he sounds gorgeous!" I took the picture out of my purse and handed it to her, careful not to let her see the back. She took one look and started fanning her hand in front of her face. "Oh, WOW! Gorgeous isn't the word – that man is a God!"

I grinned at her and agreed, "He is pretty good looking isn't he," deliberately understating what I thought.

"Good Looking!" She shouted. "Sookie Stackhouse, are you blind?"

People who were walking past us were starting to stare "SHHH!" I said laughing "No, I'm not blind! He is stunning, isn't he?" My smile widened to impossible proportions.

She laughed, and slung her arm around my waist. "Let's get some shopping done so that we can impress that gorgeous hunk of man-meat with our sexiness on Saturday!"

We trailed round the shops for hours. We had a good laugh at one another when we tried on some particularly over the top outfits at a shop specialising in leather and PVC clothing. At one point, Amelia tried on a really short black PVC dress which barely covered her backside. It had a lace-up back, which had an opening a good two inches wide down her back, and over her butt! She looked fantastic in it, but it wasn't really something to be worn in public, so she decided against it.

Instead, she decided on a red leather corset, with skin-tight black satin trousers (picture Sandy in the last scene on _Grease_), with some red patent fuck-me heels. When she tried them on, she looked fabulous. She told me that she was going to wear her long brown hair in big loose waves, and she was going to wear false eye lashes and some bright red lipstick to match her outfit.

I bought the shoes that Amelia had seen that matched my dress, before we went to Dillards. I hadn't bought any new cosmetics for a while, so I figured I would go to one of the big named cosmetic counters, and ask them to do a make-over.

I went to the first girl I saw who didn't have ten tons of makeup plastered on her face and told her what I wanted. I had Amelia show her the picture of the dress, then sat back and relaxed, while she did my make-up. She talked me through what she was using, and what she was doing, as she worked. We chatted with Amelia about our plans for Saturday night. The girl suggested that I put the front of my hair in a loose up do, with a few loose curls framing my face, and the rest of my curls flowing down my back. I couldn't really picture what she meant, so she pulled out a magazine and flicked through it until she found the picture she wanted, then showed it to me. The hairdo was fabulous, and looked as though it would be easy enough to do.

After we were finished, I bought the makeup that the girl had used on me. Amelia also persuaded me to buy a bright red nail polish that she thought would be a perfect match for my dress. I paid for everything and we left the store.

"I hope my dress arrives soon, otherwise this is going to be a total waste of time." I said anxiously, as we walked towards our cars.

"Don't panic." said Amelia cheerfully, "I got an email this morning saying that they'd already despatched it – you should get it tomorrow."

I prayed that she was right.

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**Amelia's backless PVC Dress** http:/images(dot)bidorbuy(dot)co(dot)za/user_images/095/438095_090514011313_RHL43-35(dot)jpg

**Amelia's shoes** http:/cn1(dot)kaboodle(dot)?v=1165420677000

**Amelia's corset** http:/www(dot)absolutecorsets(dot)com/overbust-corsets/leather/corset-t-277(dot)htm

**Sookie's hairdo** http:/www(dot)flickr(dot)com/photos/shutterbri23/469093290/


	10. Chapter 10 Preparations

Thanks once again for all of your reviews. I try to respond to all of them, so if I've missed you out, I apologise. In answer to a few of your questions, I know that the chapters are short at the moment, but I promise that they do get longer (I wonder if a certain blond Viking has anything to do with that :-).) Also, we'll be meeting said Viking very soon... stay with me...

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

Also HUGE thanks to my beta **GaijinVamp**, who worked extra hard to get this chapter into order.

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Ten – Preparations**

Amelia had been right about my dress. At ten the next morning, there was a knock at my front door. I checked through the peephole and saw a man in a UPS uniform clutching a flat, rectangular box under his arm. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door.

"Miss Stackhouse?" I nodded.

"Sign here please," he said, as he handed me an electronic device and a blunt pencil. After signing my name, he handed over the parcel. I thanked him and closed the door, as he walked away.

I practically ran back to my bedroom with my parcel, and ripped open the packaging and held the dress up to inspect it. It looked even better than it did in the picture. I stripped off in record time, then put on the new lingerie from Tara's Togs, and carefully slipped into the dress. I checked my reflection in the full length mirror that hung on the back of my bedroom door and broke out into a huge grin. I looked great! I felt glamorous and sexy for the first time in my life!

I took the time to look real closely at my reflection. I was happy to see that the dark circles below my eyes had totally disappeared. In addition, my hair looked thicker and shinier, and my skin was glowing like never before.

I was experimenting with my hair when I heard a loud knock on the back door, followed by, "Sook? Are you there?" Jason.

"I'm in my room. I'll be through in a minute." I threw on a robe over my dress – Jason didn't need to know what I was up to.

I padded out to the kitchen where I found Jason raiding my fridge. I cleared my throat and he looked up, "Oh! Hi, Sook. How ya doing?" he asked.

"Getting better," I told him truthfully. "I've been working with friends to decrease my sensitivity to noise, and I'm doing real good." Almost the truth. "I went to the mall with Amelia yesterday, and didn't get a headache." The absolute truth.

"That's great, Sook. I gotta say, you had me real scared. I thought you had a brain tumour or something." I dropped my shields and listened to his mind – he really had been worried about me.

"Aww, Jase. You know me! I'm as tough as Gran."

"But Gran's gone, Sook," he muttered sadly. Maybe I hadn't said the right thing.

"She was old, Jason. But she was also the strongest person I know – look how she took us in after Mom and Dad died."

After a minute of reflection, he replied, "Yeah, you're right. Look, I gotta go. I'm only on a break from work. Thanks for the apple and the soda." He indicated the items in his hands.

"You're welcome," I replied sarcastically. Jason only seemed to come to visit me if he wanted something to eat or drink. "I'll see you soon, Jase." I gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.

Jason left, and I listened to his truck disappearing down my bumpy driveway. I had a moment to think that when my trust money came through, I'd use some of it for home improvements, starting with a new driveway. Just as I was turning back towards my bedroom, I heard tires on the gravel again. I sighed and said out loud "What does he want now?" I immediately felt guilty when I realised that it was Claudine. I opened the back door and waited for her on the back porch as she stepped out of her car. "Hey Claudine! How are you today?"

"I'm good, Sookie," she replied, giving me a quick hug, then stepping back with her hands on my shoulders. She scrutinised (yesterday's word of the day) my face, and asked "Why are you still in your robe Sookie? It's almost noon – are you unwell?"

I flushed with embarrassment. "No! I'm good. In fact, I feel wonderful!" I said enthusiastically. "I just had a new dress delivered this morning and couldn't wait to try it on."

She ushered me into the house saying, "Well come on, let me see it!" When we got into the living room, I dropped the robe and she whistled in appreciation, "Wow! You look fantastic!"

"Thanks! I feel great. I was just experimenting with my hair when Jason came, so I threw on my robe to cover the dress. I think Jason would probably have a heart attack if he saw me in it!" I laughed.

"Well, you do look super sexy in it! What are you planning on doing with your hair?" I told her about the style that the girl at Dillards had shown me.

"I know exactly what you mean!" she grinned. "Can I do your hair for you?"

"Thanks, that would be great!" .I led Claudine back to my bedroom and sat on the stool in front of my vanity while she worked on my hair.

"What's the occasion? Why do you need such a sexy dress?"

"My best friend Pam owns a new night club in Shreveport, and she's invited me to opening night on Saturday." I was so excited about it, I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face. "Hey, you should come too!"

"This new club, it wouldn't be Fangtasia would it?" she asked. I nodded, "then I can't come," she said sadly.

"Why not?" I asked, shocked.

"Because fairies are intoxicating to vampires, which means I can't go anywhere near them, without them wanting to drain me dry." She explained, "My grandfather, Niall, is able to mask his scent, so is able to spend time with vampires, but I haven't got that ability."

My face dropped. "Does that mean I shouldn't go?" I asked, not really wanting to hear her answer.

"No, I think you should be fine. You smell sweeter than other humans, but I don't think you've got enough fairy in your blood to worry about," she soothed. "I think the only real effect of the fairy in your blood would be to make you more attractive to vampires. But in this dress, I don't think it would make any difference if you had fairy blood or not."

I was worried now. "Is it too much?"

Claudine had finished my hair, so she laid her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye through the mirror. "You're perfect, Sookie – you look absolutely stunning."

"If you're sure…" I said hesitantly. I did look good, and I loved the way that Claudine had done my hair, but I was still worried about what she'd said about fairies and vampires.

"I am – you're a knockout! You said your friend owned the bar, so I really don't think you've got anything to worry about. I'm sure she'll keep you safe." She said confidently. I hoped she was right.

We stared into each other's eyes for a while – Claudine seemed to be trying to force her confidence into my head. Eventually, she broke the silence "Do you think you're ready for such a big crowd?"

"I think so. I went to the mall yesterday with Amelia, and I didn't have any problems. My shields seem to be holding up really well."

"That's good. We need to get you off that potion – we'll start today. Have you taken it yet?"

"No. I try to put it off for as long as possible - that stuff is evil!" I said with a grimace.

"Good!" She said. "Come on, get changed. We're going out." She left the room to allow me to get changed into my jeans and a t-shirt, and I took the pins out of my hair so that it was in big, loose curls down my back. I hated to do it, since Claudine had spent so long doing it, but it was too much for a normal day.

Since it was lunchtime, we decided to go to Merlotte's for something to eat and to test my 'crowd control'. Sam came over with our drinks, and to see me, once we'd been seated in a booth, and had placed our order.

"Hey Sam. Sorry to run out on you the other night." I greeted him.

"Don't worry about it, Sookie. I know the noise probably got to be a bit much. It did get awfully loud, awfully quick in here after the news." He reassured me, "Are you feeling better now? You look good."

"Thanks, Sam. I feel good. I think I should be able to come back to work next week."

"That's great news. I'll put you back on the roster, but I'll start you back on the quieter shifts at first to see how you manage." He said kindly, before leaving us to eat the food that had just arrived. I sure appreciated the thought.

Lunch went without a hitch, so Claudine decided we'd go to as many places as we could during the week, to help me build up my shields. The ultimate test would be Fangtasia on Saturday night.


	11. Chapter 11 Opening Night

I'm still stunned at how many people are reading this story, and am delighted with the number of people who have added it to their alerts or favourites, and especially the number of fabulous reviews I've been getting - thank you all for taking the time out to review.

Special thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**. Without their encouragement, this story would never have gotten beyond the first few chapters, never mind published on FF! Love ya girls xx

Also HUGE thanks to my beta **GaijinVamp**, who beta'd this chapter despite feeling under the weather - hope you feel better soon xxx.

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

And now for the chapter you've all been waiting for... I hope you enjoy it :-)

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Saturday came around quickly. Claudine and I had done as much preparation as we could to make sure that I could walk into a busy night club without getting overwhelmed by a barrage of other people's thoughts.

Since practicing my telepathy, I learned that I could adjust the strength of my shields to control the 'volume' of the thoughts around me. I could also pick out an individual person's thoughts from a crowd, and, if I concentrated, I could focus on them and turn up their 'volume' whilst keeping everyone else's down low, almost like adjusting the focus on a camera lens.

I was as prepared as I was ever going to be mentally for the opening night, so I spent the whole of Saturday afternoon getting ready. I took a long soak in a lavender scented tub to relax, and shaved whilst I was there. When I'd finished in the tub, I took a hot shower, washed my hair and buffed my body. Because I'd been off work, I'd been able to spend a little time every day out in the sun, so I now had a lovely golden tan, which my dress would set off beautifully.

I got out of the shower, and toweled myself off. I wrapped my hair in a towel while I slathered lotion all over my skin. When I'd finished, I freed my hair, and started putting my hair into the bendy rollers that Claudine suggested I buy. I looked absolutely ridiculous in the rollers, but Claudine assured me that the end result would look fantastic.

Once I'd gotten all of my hair into the rollers, I set about putting some clothes into an overnight bag, because Amelia had invited me to spend the night at her place to save me having to pay for a taxi back to Bon Temps. When I finished that, I glanced at the clock. I still had plenty of time, so I lay down on my bed, and was surprised to find that the rollers didn't feel that uncomfortable. I set my alarm for five thirty, which would give me an hour and a half to finish getting ready before I had to leave to get to Shreveport for eight, then soon dozed off. I knew that if I was tired tonight, I couldn't do my best job shielding, and that would be a nightmare.

I woke at 5:25 feeling refreshed, and pleased that I hadn't needed the alarm. Claudine was coming over soon to do my hair for me. It seemed to me that although she couldn't come tonight, she was going to live vicariously (another word of the day) through me.

I had painted my nails using the red polish that Amelia had persuaded me to buy while I was sunbathing that morning, so all I needed to do was to get dressed, and do my hair and makeup.

I slipped on my underwear and dress, then started to apply my makeup, just like the girl at Dillards had shown me. I stuck with more natural look, because I felt that heavy makeup with this dress might make me look like a hooker. Although I did put a little more on than she had shown me, since it was evening. I was just putting on my mascara when Claudine popped into my room (she'd taken to teleporting into my house if we didn't have plans to go anywhere). Luckily, I was refreshing the mascara on the wand when she arrived, because otherwise I probably would have poked myself in the eye when she appeared next to me and made me jump in surprise. "I wonder if I'll ever get used to that?" I asked.

She laughed and apologized, then patted my hair to check if it was dry. It was still a little damp, so she took out my hairdryer and said "Let's get this show on the road." She worked the dryer over my hair until she was satisfied, then started to take the rollers out.

When she finished taking the rollers out, my hair hung in spirals, which made my normally waist length hair come up to my shoulder blades. Claudine set to work pinning the sides of my hair back to achieve the look we were going for. She finished up, and grabbed the hand mirror to show me the back. It was perfect. She sprayed a lot of hair spray on my hair to keep the curls from dropping too much then said "Stand up Sookie. I want to see the whole ensemble."

I quickly put on my lip gloss, then stowed it in the little black evening purse I had. Then I pulled on the elbow length gloves that went with the dress and stepped into the shoes. I stood to let Claudine see, and she motioned for me to turn around. I turned slowly so that she could see the whole outfit from all angles. "Wow, Sookie – you look amazing!" she smiled, "you'll be fighting the men off tonight."

I grinned. "Thank you, Claudine! And thanks for doing my hair for me."

"No problem!" she said brightly.

"I wish you could come."

"I'd prefer to stay alive!" she laughed. She saw my smile fade and continued, "Don't worry, I know you'll tell me all about it. Now get going!" She grabbed the black wrap that I'd laid on the bed and ushered me out of the room.

I picked up the overnight bag I'd put next to the back door on the way out, and ran through a mental checklist to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything. When I was satisfied, I locked the door and turned to give Claudine a hug. "Thanks again, Claudine, you're a star."

"Any time, Sookie. Stay safe." She said, then pulled away, and waited for me to get into my car, before disappearing with a POP.

I sang along to the radio as I drove to Shreveport, and pulled into the Fangtasia parking lot at 7:55. As I stepped out of my car, I saw a few people staring, and wished that I had a different car from my old Nova – something more suitable for the beautiful clothes I was wearing. I realised how vain that sounded and silently scolded myself.

As I walked towards the front door of Fangtasia, I had to stifle a giggle. Instead of a big, burly doorman, Pam was working the front door. I supposed that despite her petite size, Pam was more dangerous than your average doorman.

I started to walk towards the back of the queue, which curled away from me to the opposite side of the front door, but Pam called me over. "Hi Pam, you look good!" I said politely. Pam was dressed in a PVC cat suit that seemed almost painted on, with the top cut low enough to display a lot of cleavage and knee high lace up PVC boots, which had a four inch heel. I knew from experience that Pam preferred far more classic clothes, and wasn't really sure what to make of her in this outfit, although she did look amazing in it.

"You too, Sookie" she replied as her fangs ran down. This was the first time that I'd seen her fangs, and I have to say, it was a little disturbing, but they actually suited her. "Amelia's already inside, go on in." She gestured towards the door, and I walked in, much to the disgust of everyone waiting in line.

I stood in the doorway and took in my surroundings while I searched for Amelia. The bar was decorated in black and grey with red accents. On the walls, there was memorabilia and posters from all of the famous vampire films and TV shows. It was clichéd, but it worked. I spotted Amelia sitting at the bar, so I headed towards her.

I let my shields down momentarily, wanting to know what everyone else thought of the club, but I regretted it instantly. All I could hear were thoughts about sex, and people wondering if they would get bitten by a vampire. The strange thing about this was that people weren't frightened by that thought – they were excited by it. I slammed my shields back up and sat next to Amelia.

"You look great, Meals." I greeted her.

"So do you, Sook. You look stunning." She said, before handing me the drink that she'd already bought for me. I wasn't a big drinker, so I sipped my drink slowly, but it was clear to me that Amelia had already downed a couple. She was really chatty tonight.

We talked about the club, and what we thought of it until a good song came on and we decided to dance. We spent the rest of the night on the dance floor, except when we went back to the bar for another drink.

Amelia was well on her way to being drunk, and was starting to dance much more enthusiastically, throwing her arms around. She was earning herself a few dirty looks from other people dancing hear to us when her elbows and hands hit into them, so I decided to try to get her to go and sit down. I put my hand on her elbow, and started to tow her away towards a booth when she lost her balance, and fell into a dark haired man.

He turned with fangs bared, and shouted at Amelia. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snarled. _Oh shit!_

"I'm sorry, sir. My friend is a little drunk, and just lost her footing." I said, trying to calm the situation down. The vampire continued to snarl and shout.

"Who do you think you are?" He yelled, "Human scum, I ought to drain you where you are." His face was in mine, and I was terrified, and at the same time, trying to stop Amelia from making the situation worse.

I felt a presence behind me, and heard a deep, baritone voice ask, "Is there a problem here, ladies?"

"No." I replied. "My friend is a little drunk and stumbled into this gentleman here, but he's a little aggressive. We were just going to sit down." I turned to face our rescuer. I had to look up quite a way, because my eyes were only at chest height. I looked up into a pair of beautiful, piercing blue eyes that belonged on a handsome face topped with long blond hair that was tied at the nape of his neck. "Eric?"

He smirked at me "Sookie, I presume? And your drunken friend is Amelia?" I nodded. "Mickey, these ladies are guests of mine and Pam's. Please keep your opinions to yourself, unless you want to leave." He stared at my would-be drainer with fangs bared and his arms crossed across his chest.

Mickey leered at me whilst muttering under his breath. He obviously decided to avoid any further confrontation with Eric, because he stormed off the dance floor, shouldering me on the way past. Luckily, Eric was close enough to me to prevent me falling with the force of the blow to my shoulder. He steadied me on my feet then said "Come, Sookie," and gestured towards an empty booth towards the back of the club. "Pam told me that you were quiet. I didn't expect you to be one to cause trouble." He said with a glint of humour in his eyes, as he slid into the opposite side of the booth from Amelia and myself.

"Excuse me!" I said indignantly. "I wasn't the one who threatened to drain someone dry. Amelia lost her balance and accidentally fell into that man. He totally overreacted!" I was so frustrated. It was clear to me that my initial thoughts about this man were right – he was beautiful, but he was annoying.

"Be that as it may," he replied, with a very slight accent, "you are the prey in this bar, and you must be careful if you want to avoid being preyed upon." He was giving me advice, but his tone of voice suggested that he felt that he was talking to someone far inferior to himself. I liked this man less and less.

Anxious to get away from this beautiful annoyance, I excused myself to visit the ladies room. I saw to business, then washed my hands and freshened up my lip gloss. I was going to suggest to Amelia that we leave since she was obviously a little worse for wear, and I was beginning to tire from shielding hard all night.

To try to give myself a bit of a rest, I lowered my shields a little as I walked back into the club towards the booth. I set my shields so that the sound of the thoughts surrounding me was at the level of background noise, but a mental 'voice' suddenly came in very clear to me. The mind was displaying images to me, rather than words, and I was seeing a small, dark haired, female vampire, and her reaction as the person thrust a stake into her. I was instantly on the alert, and my eyes wheeled around the room, trying to find the vampire I'd seen in the thoughts.

I soon spotted her between where I was, and the booth where Eric still sat with Amelia. Although barely a second had passed since I had seen the disturbing image, I could see a man with mousy brown hair stepping towards the vampire, and dipping his right hand into his jacket. I shouted, "NO!" as I ran across the room to try to stop him from attacking the vampire.

She wheeled around with wide brown eyes as I wrapped my hand around her would-be attacker's wrist. He struggled with me until Pam appeared behind him and took his wrist from my hand. Her grip was so tight, I heard his bones snap. He screamed in pain as Pam said to me "I'll take it from here, Sookie."

I sagged with relief at Pam's timely appearance. The sudden movement, and my horror at seeing this man attempt to stake someone, had left me in shock The last of my shields crumbled, and I found myself being battered by a sudden influx of thoughts. My knees buckled under the weight of the thoughts pressing down on my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blur of movement before the world went black.

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Pam's opening night outfit http:/www(dot)fancycostumes(dot)org(dot)uk/product/9/973/Miss-Whiplash-Costume(dot)html

**Chapter Eleven – Opening Night**


	12. Chapter 12 Interrogation

Thank you all once again for taking the time out to review Blood on Blood. I do read all your reviews, and try to respond to as many as I can. Apologies that I've been a bit lax in this department during the past week, but I'm having to 'steal' time on the computer off my husband who's into playing crappy football games on the PC, and spends hours doing it!

Once again, I should give my thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**, who have been a tremendous encouragement to write this story, and big hugs to my beta, **GaijinVamp**, who's extraordinary hard work has (I hope) resulted in an improvement in my writing (and less work for her).

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was what can only be described as 'a wall of a chest'. I appeared to be in someone's arms, so I looked up, and saw that the someone was Eric. I was confused until I remembered what had just happened. I groaned and whispered "Not again!"

Eric looked down at me with his lips pressed into a grim line. "Welcome back, Miss Stackhouse. May I take it from your comment that this is not a one time occurrence?"

I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes and replied, "Unfortunately not. I've recently been in hospital following a similar incident."

He raised an eyebrow, obviously expecting me to expand on that, but I kept my mouth shut. "You've just saved Felicia's life," he said. "I am very pleased with that. Bloodshed on opening night would not go down well with the human authorities."

"Maybe it will cancel out the favour of you rescuing Amelia and me earlier." I said sarcastically. I was feeling much better now. "Speaking of Amelia, where is she? And where are you taking me?"

"Pam will bring Amelia to my office in a minute, and that is where I am taking you." He told me as he opened a door.

I looked around the room that he'd taken me to. There was a large desk on one side of the room, with the usual paraphernalia that goes with desks everywhere. Behind the desk there was a small closet, and on the other side of the room, there was a large black leather sofa, which is where Eric deposited me. He sank into the chair behind the desk, and sat with his hands behind his head, and his feet crossed on the desk.

We sat in silence, staring at one another. The silence was not a comfortable one, but I was determined not to break it. Fortunately, I was saved from suffering too long by a knock on the door. "Enter, Pam." called Eric.

Pam appeared though the door, with her arm around Amelia's waist, propping her up. She steered Amelia towards the settee, and settled her next to me. Then she went to sit on one of the guest chairs on the opposite side of the desk from Eric. "Sookie, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm OK." I said. Eric raised an eyebrow at me, and Pam looked just as disbelieving as he did. "I just got a bit overwhelmed. I've been ill, and this is the first time I've really been out since I came home from hospital." I explained.

"Who is your doctor?" asked Pam. "Clearly, they should never have released you from hospital, if you faint like that."

"Doctor Ludwig has been treating me." I replied. "And I really am fine. The quiet here is really helping." My shields had totally collapsed when I did, and I realised that both Pam and Eric were almost like empty spaces in comparison to the bright balls of thoughts that I associated with most people. I was glad about this, because I knew instinctively that being able to hear vampires' thoughts would not be good for me.

Eric's eyes widened at the mention of Doctor Ludwig's name. He'd obviously heard of her. "I thought Doctor Ludwig only took on supernatural patients" he said. "Why would she treat a mere human?"

Amelia chose this moment to join in the conversation. "Sookie isn't _merely _a human." she slurred.

I buried my head in my hands, and wished the ground would open up and swallow me. "Amelia!"

"What?" she said innocently. "It's the truth." I gave a meaningful glance at Eric and Pam, and Amelia "'SOK, Sookie, Pam's a friend, and I'm sure Eric won't say anything."

Eric was watching this exchange with interest. "Sookie Stackhouse, you are a mystery. You have just left hospital after being treated by a doctor who only treats supernaturals, and tonight you have saved a vampire from being staked. I can't help but wonder how you knew that that piece of filth was going to attack her."

I took a deep breath and blew it out, resigned to the fact that Eric would not allow the subject to be dropped, then said "I am a part fairy, and telepathic. I 'heard' the man thinking about staking that vampire and couldn't let him just do it." I hoped I didn't regret this.

Pam looked shocked. "Can you hear my thoughts, Sookie?"

"No. All I get from you and Eric is almost like a blank space. With most people, I see or hear a kind of ball of thoughts and images, but with vampires there's nothing." I'd never been so glad to not be able to do something in my life.

"That you cannot hear vampire thoughts is a very good thing, Sookie," said Eric. I completely agreed with him. "It is a particularly useful gift, and one that I have only seen a handful of times in all of my one thousand years." _One thousand years! _"You should keep this gift a secret, Sookie. There are many people who would use and abuse you for your gift."

"And you're not one of them?" I asked tentatively.

"I am not." He said. I looked to Pam for confirmation of this. She nodded slightly. "I believe in paying people extremely well for their skills when I find myself in need of them." That sounded like I wasn't going to get away from this encounter totally scot free. "Perhaps we can use this little gift of yours now when I interview Felicia's would-be attacker?"

"What would I get in return?" I asked.

"How about I don't kill you, and I keep your gift a secret?" He suggested.

"How about you don't kill me, you keep my gift a secret, and promise to hand the man over to the police. In return, I will grant you one favour. I will only do this if you promise that you will not kill anyone as the result of what I hear from them." I countered.

He considered this for a while before answering "You drive a hard bargain, Miss Stackhouse, but I accept your terms." He raised his voice slightly. "Clancy, bring in Mr Bell please."

The door opened again, and a short, red-haired vampire appeared, dragging along a very roughed-up looking Mr Bell. He dumped him in the remaining guest chair before shutting the door. Clancy tied Mr Bell's hands behind the chair, then stood up against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. Amelia snored lightly from her position beside me.

"Sookie, you will listen whilst I ask Mr Bell here some questions." Eric commanded. I nodded. I really didn't want to do this, but I figured it was only way I was going to get out of this situation unscathed, and at least I was able to guarantee that the man wouldn't end up dead.

'_I'm not answering anything that this asshole asks me.'_

I snickered. Eric raised an eyebrow at me. "He doesn't think he's going to answer any question that you ask him." Eric smirked as the man's eyes widened in fear.

"As you can see, I have ways of getting information from you, Mr Bell. If these methods don't work, I will not hesitate to use torture. I have _many_ years of experience of getting information out of humans without killing them, although I'm sure that by the time I was finished, they wished otherwise." Eric threatened. I shuddered. "Now, you will tell me why you attacked Felicia this evening."

Mr Bell, whose first name I 'heard' was Steven, sat in silence, with his lips clamped together and shook his head.

"His wife left him for a vampire last week, just after the announcement." I said, "She told him she'd been with this vampire for a while, and that now that vampires were out in the open, she was able to leave him without having to worry about staying in hiding with her vampire lover. Steven and his wife had been married for three years, and he had no indication that she was thinking of leaving. He decided to get his revenge by killing a vampire, and he chose Felicia because she looked the most defenseless of the vampires in the club."

Steven had a tear sliding down his cheek at the reminder of what had happened to him, and Eric snorted. "Defenseless! Even the newest vampire would be stronger and more agile than some human out to get revenge." He stared at Steven, who was now shaking.

After a couple of minutes, Eric put his hand into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He pressed some buttons, then said into the phone "This is Eric Northman. Please send some officers to Fangtasia to collect a man who has just attempted to kill one of my staff," before hanging up. Clancy looked astounded that Eric wasn't going to deal with Steven himself. "We are living in the human world now, Clancy, we must abide by their rules. Now, please go and ensure that there is no further trouble out in the bar while I deal with the human authorities." Clancy muttered under his breath before stalking out of the room.

The police arrived shortly afterwards to take Steven away. Eric explained Steven's roughened appearance by telling the police that someone had tackled him to the ground when I realised what he was going to do. I gave them my statement, and they left with Steven.

Amelia slept through all of this. Eric instructed Pam to take me and Amelia back to Amelia's house, before turning to me. "It was nice meeting you, Sookie Stackhouse. I look forward to seeing you again." He had a smirk on his face, and his fangs were half down. I hoped I didn't see him again too soon. This man scared me.

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**A/N: **Hmm... what did you all make of Eric? Is he what you expected?

**Chapter Twelve - Interrogation**


	13. Chapter 13 Favour

Thanks again guys for all of your reviews, alerts & favourites. I can't believe you've given me almost 100 reviews so far :-) I wonder if I can pass 100 with this chapter? *hint hint*

As always, thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**, who have been a tremendous encouragement to write this story, and big hugs to my beta, **GaijinVamp - **thanks for helping me whip this story into shape xx

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Thirteen – Favour**

I worried about what I had gotten myself into by promising Eric a favour, but a few weeks had passed since Fangtasia's opening night, and I hadn't heard from either Pam or Eric, so I relaxed a little.

Despite my little setback at Fangtasia, I had been able to go back to work. As promised, Sam put me on the quieter shifts to start with, until he was satisfied that I could cope. Last week, Sam had finally relented and put me back onto my regular shifts, and tonight, I was going to start singing again. I was really looking forward to it. I'd spent the afternoon on my laptop lining up my sets, and practicing some new songs. Now, I was sitting at my usual spot at the end of the bar with my microphone in my hand, and my laptop perched on the end of the bar. I nodded to Sam, his cue to turn off the jukebox, then pressed a key to start my first song.

I'd deliberately chosen this particular song, because I knew everyone liked it, and since I hadn't sung for a while, I wanted to come back with a bang.

I smiled when everyone clapped and cheered when they heard the first few notes of "Sweet Home Alabama" coming through the sound system, then launched into the song. Before long, everyone in the bar was joining in. I'd always considered that to be my greatest compliment as a singer – I loved that people enjoyed my singing enough to want to join in.

I was about half-way through my second set when I saw Pam and Eric walk into the bar. My heart sank at the thought of Eric coming in to call in his favour, but I had to put that to one side for now, at least until I'd finished my set. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sam nod to Eric, who returned the gesture. _What was that all about?_ I wondered.

When Pam and Eric slid into a booth, Arlene rushed over to take their order. Arlene was a little older than me (I didn't know exactly how old, since she'd been '32' for her last few birthdays), and was constantly on the lookout for 'Mr Right'. Given that she'd been divorced four times, I figured 'Mr Right Now' was far more appropriate. Naturally, she attempted to flirt with Eric and I had to stifle a laugh when Eric looked at her like she was a cat who'd just thrown up a hairball on his prized Persian rug. Of course, Arlene didn't notice, and continued to giggle and fluff her flame red hair.

She only stopped her efforts when Pam and Eric ordered a bottle of blood each. She smiled, and I could see her say "Coming right up!" When she turned her back on them to head to the bar, her nose was wrinkled in distaste.

When the vampires first revealed themselves, and after I realised about Pam, I persuaded Sam to order a case of True Blood, the most popular brand of the synthetic blood that the Japanese had developed. By the time Arlene arrived at the bar, Sam already had already taken two bottles out of the fridge, and had popped one into the microwave to warm. He took the first one out, gave it a quick shake, and popped the top while the second one was heating up. He placed both bottles on a tray with a couple of glasses.

By the way he greeted him, I wondered if Sam already knew Eric. Plus, he had begun preparing drinks for him and Pam before Arlene had put in their order. Arlene took the tray over to Eric and Pam, then beat a rapid retreat from their table. I wondered what they wanted – I hadn't heard from Pam since Fangtasia's opening night, and I'd only seen Amelia a couple of times since our shifts clashed. I decided think about it later – I couldn't afford to get distracted while I was singing.

I could see Pam talking with Eric, and he nodded at whatever she was saying. I was thinking about what they might be talking about and almost missed the cue for my next song, so I decided to stop watching them. I let my eyes roam around the crowd, and smiled at people when I saw everyone else singing along with me.

A couple of songs later, I finished my set. I hopped off my stool, and slid into the booth next to Pam. Arlene's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she realised I knew these people. She obviously hadn't recognised Pam. "Hey Pam, Eric, what brings you to Merlotte's tonight?" I asked cheerfully.

Pam said "Amelia told me you sang on Friday nights, and we wanted to hear you sing."

Eric added, "Plus, I find myself in need of your assistance." _Oh no! This can't be good_. "Some of my waitresses have complained to me about their tips going missing, and while I have an idea who is doing it, I don't know why. Obviously, I have my own methods of finding out, but I think that in this instance, your method may be more appropriate."

I had to agree with that. I'm sure that Eric's methods of getting information out of people weren't exactly pleasant, or pain free for that matter. "OK, what do you want me to do, and when?" I asked.

"I simply want you to listen as I interview my key suspects. But this time, I will have you there as an 'independent witness' to the interviews and you will tell me what you heard after the interviews have concluded. As for when, when are you next available?"

I thought about it. It was my birthday on Tuesday, and Amelia had told me that she and Pam were planning on taking me out, so I'd booked a few days off. I was looking forward to that time off work, even if I had only been back for a few weeks. I was at work the following night, and off on Sunday because the bar didn't open on Sundays; but that was my day for getting stuff done. "I'm free on Monday night."

"Good. We will see you on Monday night at seven at Fangtasia." They both got up to leave, but before they walked away, Eric turned back to me and said "You have a wonderful voice, Sookie. I wonder if I could persuade you to sing at Fangtasia one night?"

"Erm, I'm not sure that the people who go to Fangtasia would really enjoy my singing. Their tastes are different from the people who come here." I replied, trying to be diplomatic.

"Nonsense, Sookie. I have heard you sing tonight, and you sing a variety of styles of music very well. I'm sure you can put together a set or two that would be suitable for the Fangtasia audience. Think about it. We'll see you Monday." Then he was out of the door.

Pam stayed behind for a minute or so. She said goodbye and gave me a quick hug. After she left, I wondered if it felt strange for her, being back in Bon Temps. There was no-one here that would really care about her becoming a vampire; her parents had moved back to England when Pam disappeared. They'd moved to Louisiana when Pam was ten, with her dad's job - he worked for some petrochemical company based in Shreveport. But when Pam disappeared, and left her note, they decided to move back to England, saying that his job had taken him back home because they were too self absorbed to go looking for her.

oOo

On Monday, I dressed casually in a denim skirt and baby pink blouse that set off my tan, and pulled my hair into a ponytail. Then I headed off to Fangtasia. I hoped that it wasn't going to be too late a night, because I had a morning meeting. I'd received a call that morning from Mr Cataliades, telling me that he'd be at my house at ten AM. He wanted to go through the full details of my trust fund, and options for its management, since it had reached maturity. It was hard for me to think about – I'd lived pretty much all my life worrying about money, and tomorrow, I was going to become a multi-millionaire.

On the drive to Shreveport, I thought about what I wanted to spend the money on. Three million dollars was a lot of money, and I knew I'd never be able to spend it all. I did know that I wanted to redo my driveway, and do some work on the house. I also wanted to invest in something, but I wasn't sure what. I'd ask Mr Cataliades for his advice when he came in the morning.

When I arrived at Fangtasia, the parking lot was empty, and the door to the club was closed. I thought back to the invitation that Pam had sent to me for the opening night, and I recalled that the club didn't open on Mondays. I drove around to the employee parking lot, and parked next to a sleek red Corvette. On the other side of the Corvette, there was a black BMW convertible and a few spots over, there were a couple of older cars.

I figured that the Corvette had to be Eric's – it matched his personality perfectly. It was completely ostentatious (a word of the day that I thought suited Eric to a T). That meant that the BMW was Pam's, and the other cars belonged to the waitresses we were interviewing. I took a deep, steadying breath, then got out of the car and knocked on the back door of the club.

A few seconds later, Pam opened the door. She greeted me with a hug. "Thank you for doing this, Sookie. We're quite worried about what's been happening. We believe that the whole problems with the missing tips may just be the most noticeable of our problems. Both Eric and I have noticed things seem slightly out of place in our offices. There's nothing tangible, and no evidence of people having been in the offices, but things aren't quite right all the same."

"No problem, Pam. I'm glad to be able to help you." I felt far more comfortable saying this to Pam than I would with Eric. I'm not sure I would even say it to him. This didn't have anything to do with the fact that I'd known Pam for years, it was more that I knew Eric had a dangerous edge, and that terrified me.

Pam ushered me into Eric's office, where two very frightened looking women sat on the black leather couch. Eric greeted me then introduced me to the women, saying "Ginger, Maudette, this is Sookie Stackhouse. She has agreed to come here today as an independent witness to these proceedings." He went on to explain that I was merely there to observe, and would only ask questions if I felt that I needed clarification on some point. He asked if they understood, and both women nodded.

Pam turned to me then and asked, "Sookie, how would you like to do this?"

I thought for a moment, then said "Pam, if you could perhaps take Maudette into the bar area and get her a drink to calm her nerves a bit. She looks terrified. I will sit here with Ginger while Eric asks his questions."

Pam looked at Eric, who nodded his approval, then went to guide Maudette to the bar I sat on the couch in the seat that she had just vacated, and put my hand on Ginger's, in what could be seen as a comforting gesture. I nodded almost imperceptibly at Eric, who began questioning Ginger.

While he was asking questions, I got a clear picture that she and Maudette had fallen under the sway of a vampire named Victor. I don't think she knew his surname, but I did see an image of him in her mind. He was a handsome man, a little under six feet tall, with dark brown hair and eyes. His eyes caught my attention, they looked odd to me. Victor seemed very keen to find out more about Eric's business, and had asked Ginger a lot of questions. Her memory then seemed a bit hazy, almost like there was something missing, but I could sense the terror that she felt about him. I also realised that it was only since first talking with him that they had the compulsion to steal tips from their fellow waitresses.

Once Eric had finished questioning Ginger, we repeated the process with Maudette. Her thoughts confirmed Ginger's, but in addition, she'd seen Victor sneaking through the 'Employee Only' door, while Pam and Eric were out on the floor. Only the stock room, and Eric and Pam's offices were behind that door.

With both interviews concluded, Eric told Maudette to go out to the bar to sit with Ginger, and to send Pam back to his office. When Pam arrived, I told them both what I'd heard from the two women. Eric was pleased to have his suspicion confirmed that there was something more than petty theft going on. He called both women back to the office, then dismissed them for the night with a firm rebuke and a promise that any future transgressions would result in dismissal, if not something worse. He also used his glamour (something almost like hypnosis that Pam explained to me all vampires could do) to forget my involvement in their interviews this evening, and to force them not to tell Victor that they'd been caught, hoping that he would continue with his plans, so that Eric could catch him at it.

After the two women had gone, Pam asked me to describe the man that I'd seen in their thoughts. When I did, she immediately hissed, "Victor Madden."

Eric nodded and said, "Yes, that piece of shit is always trying to worm his way into my territory. Something must be done about him once and for all."

I really didn't like the sound of that. "Don't y'all have to have evidence of foul play before you do something about it?" I asked innocently. Eric raised his eyebrow at me. "I mean, do you actually know what this Victor character is doing? Maybe you should set up some hidden cameras in your offices to see if you can catch him in the act... "

Pam interrupted, "She's right Eric, I don't like that slime ball any more than you do, but we can't go after him without evidence. If we have evidence, we can deal with it through the proper channels, and there'll be no reprisal against us at all. If we do it any other way, you know that he or one of his cronies will come after you."

Eric looked thoughtful for a moment, like he was thinking he didn't care about going through the proper channels, and that he wasn't worried about Victor or his cronies coming back for him. Finally, he grinned, "Sookie, I think the hidden cameras are a fantastic idea. I like your way of thinking."

I wasn't sure if that was a genuine compliment, or if he was being sarcastic, but by that point, I really couldn't care less. I was really tired, and just wanted to get home. I stifled a yawn and said, "Excuse me! It's been a long day."

"My apologies for keeping you up so late, Sookie." Eric sounded anything but sorry.

"No problem Eric, but I think I'll go now. You and Pam can plot what you're going to do to catch this Victor character." I said as I stood, and headed for the door.

Pam showed me to the door, but not before Eric said, "Thank you for your assistance tonight, Sookie. I hope to see you soon."


	14. Chapter 14 Birthday Girl

**Chapter Fourteen – Birthday Girl**

The next morning I lay in bed for as long as possible; last night had been a late one for me, and I was still tired. But at nine o'clock, a knock on the front door forced me to get up. I threw on my robe and padded to the door. It was too early for Mr Cataliades, and I wasn't expecting anyone else, so I checked the peephole. On the other side of the door, there stood a smartly dressed woman in her fifties holding a clipboard. I groaned, I rarely got marketing canvassers or door to door sales people at my door since my house was so far from the main road, but that's exactly what this woman looked like. I was tempted to ignore it, and go back to bed for a while, but she raised her hand to knock again.

I pulled the door open quickly, before she had chance to knock a second time. She dropped her hand, and looked me up and down, taking in my appearance. I hadn't put my shields up yet, so I heard her think that maybe she'd interrupted me in bed with someone, since I was out of breath when I opened the door. I glanced to my right at the mirror that Gran had hung next to the front door, and realised I had a serious case of bed head.

I tried to smooth my hair with my left hand and asked, "Can I help you?" My voice sounded harsh, even to my own ears. Gran would kill me for my lack of manners, but this woman had disturbed my sleep!

"Oh! Yes!" replied the woman. "My name is Katherine Herdman from Katherine's Flowers. I have a delivery for you. That is, if you are Sookie Stackhouse."

"I am," I told her.

"Good. Please sign here..." She indicated a spot on the paper clipped to her clipboard and handed me a pen. I signed my name and she took the pen and clipboard back, smiling. "It must be a special occasion, huh? I have multiple deliveries for you."

"Um, yeah, it's my birthday." I replied, shocked at the thought of having multiple deliveries of flowers. I couldn't remember ever receiving them before.

"Happy birthday!" she said brightly. "Let me just get your flowers." She turned to go back to a white van, with 'Katherine's Flowers' written in green on the side, that I hadn't spotted earlier. She opened the back doors and called "I don't normally do the deliveries myself, but my delivery boy called in sick this morning." Well that explained the outfit. She reached in the back doors and pulled out two beautiful bouquets of flowers – one in oranges and yellows that included gerbera daisies, and the other in pinks and purples that included purple iris and pink lilies. She handed them to me, saying "There's one more." then went off to fetch it.

I put the two arrangements that she'd given me on the table in the hallway for now – I would move them later. When I turned around, all I could see was a _huge_ basket of flowers and a pair of legs. I took the basket from her and she smiled. "Those must be from someone who thinks a lot of you. It's the biggest arrangement I've ever had to do. You're a lucky girl."

I just smiled back at her and she turned to go back to her van with another "Happy Birthday!" I was glad she didn't pry, because I really had no idea who any of the flowers were from. I carried the basket into the kitchen, and set it on the table, while I started a pot of coffee. I padded back to the hallway to collect the two bouquets of flowers and started to arrange them into vases.

I checked the cards as I put each bouquet into its own vase. The card in the orange and yellow one said _'Happy __Birthday,__ Sookie. Love from Sam and the gang at Merlotte's'_. I'd never had anything from work before, but at the start of the year, Arlene had started up a birthday club. Everyone put a few dollars into a collection for someone's birthday, and then either she or Sam bought a gift using that money. I guessed Sam had bought these, because Arlene has been a bit funny with me since Pam and Eric had come to see me on Friday night.

The pink and purple bouquet was a real surprise. The card read _'Happy __Birthday__, Little Sis. Love__,__ Jason'_. I was absolutely stunned. Jason _**never**_ remembered my birthday. I arranged the flowers into their vase, then sat at the table with a cup of coffee. While I was drinking, I dug through the last arrangement of flowers to find the card that came with them. I wondered who would spend so much money on flowers for me. I found out when I read the card.

'_Thank you for your assistance, Sookie. Happy __Birthday. Looking__ forward to seeing you soon ~ E.'_

Eric. That explained it – the arrangement was so large and over the top, just like him. I decided that I would write him a thank you note. Polite but impersonal. I glanced at the clock, and realised that I'd have to do it later, Mr Cataliades was due to arrive in about fifteen minutes. I rushed into my bedroom to get washed and dressed. I was just pulling my hair up into a ponytail when I heard a knock at the door.

I opened the door to find Mr Cataliades standing on the porch with a bottle of champagne in one hand and a briefcase in the other. He offered the champagne to me, saying, "Many happy returns, Miss Stackhouse."

I grinned, and said, "It's Sookie. Thank you! Please come in and take a seat." I directed him to the kitchen this time, since I knew we'd have a bit of paperwork to complete, and it would be easier at the table. I pulled the jug of iced tea out of the refrigerator and placed it on the table with a couple of glasses before sitting down, and asked him if he'd like some.

We got straight down to business. Mr Cataliades told me that as of this morning, my trust fund had officially matured, and I was now a multi millionaire. "I've taken the liberty of setting up a couple of accounts for you that will work best in your favour. The first is a checking account, into which I have deposited fifty thousand dollars. The second is an easy access savings account, into which I have deposited a further two hundred thousand dollars." My head swam at the figures. He then explained that he had kept the majority of the money in an investment account for now, until I'd decided what I wanted to do with it, and repeated his offer to help me manage my money, explaining that I wouldn't be charged for this service, as my grandfather, Fintan had covered all of his costs.

We discussed my initial ideas regarding investments, and he suggested that I keep the money in the account for now until I'd made up my mind about what I wanted to invest in. He told me to send the details of any investment I was considering to him so that he could check that it was a sound investment before I actually laid out any money. He had me sign paperwork to complete setting up the accounts, and gave me a passbook for the savings account and a card for the checking account, and I signed both.

Once I had signed everything, he packed it all away, and left with another "Happy Birthday", a reminder not to tell Jason just how much my trust fund was worth (Jason's had only been worth fifty thousand, I learned), and a handshake. I sank onto the settee with a big sigh once he'd gone. It was still a lot to take in.

A couple of hours later, I was sitting in the kitchen eating a sandwich when Claudine popped in. She gave me a huge hug, and wished me happy birthday. She held out a small rectangular box wrapped in silver paper.

I took the gift from her and said, "Thank you, Claudine. You didn't need to get me anything."

She smiled, "I know, but I saw this and thought of you!" I unwrapped the paper to find a gift box inside with the word 'Swarovski' printed on it. I opened the box, and saw a beautiful silver chain with a red teardrop pendant, and matching drop earrings.

I gasped, "Oh, Claudine, they're beautiful! Thank you so much." I wrapped her in a bear hug, and hid my face in her hair, to hide the fact that my eyes were filling up.

"You're very welcome, cousin."

I offered her a drink and we sat and chatted about my plans for the evening before she left. About five minutes after she left, my phone rang. It was Jason calling to wish me a happy birthday. I thanked him for the flowers, and he admitted that Amelia had reminded him it was my birthday. He didn't ask anything about the trust fund, and I didn't volunteer anything. I assumed he must also have been sworn to secrecy about it. I wondered if he had spent all of his, then remembered how he had built a massive deck at the back of his house a couple of summers before, along with a dock for the pond in the back yard. I guess his trust fund must have paid for all of that work.

Jason and I chatted for about five minutes, then he asked what my plans were for the evening. I told him that I was going out with Amelia and Pam. He asked where I was going, and I told him I didn't know. All I knew was that they were picking me up at six thirty, then we were going for a meal, then dancing. He sounded pleased that I was going out when he said goodbye.

It was about three in the afternoon by this point, so I decided to go for an afternoon nap so that I was fresh for tonight. I hoped that I would last longer than I did the last time I went out with Amelia. Although, to be fair, that night, Amelia was a lot more drunk than I was.

I woke at five when my alarm went off, and hopped in the shower. I quickly washed my hair, and shaved my legs, then when I got out I lathered my skin in my favourite body lotion. I had decided tonight that I would straighten my hair, so I dried it thoroughly, then spritzed it with some special spray to protect it, while I went over it with my straightening iron. I sectioned it into manageable areas, then worked the straightening iron through it until it was perfectly straight. Once I'd finished that, I put on some beautiful white lace boy shorts and a matching bra that I'd bought a while ago, but never worn. I pulled a dress out of my wardrobe that I'd only worn once before. It was a short white dress with a red flower pattern, and the only time I'd ever worn it was on my first date with Bill. I paired it with the red shoes that I wore on the opening night at Fangtasia, and put on a little makeup and lip gloss, and the jewelry that Claudine had given me for my birthday.

At six thirty on the dot, there was a knock at the front door. I put my lip gloss in my purse, along with my ID, and went to answer the door. Instead of seeing Pam or Amelia at the door, there was a man dressed in a dark suit, complete with chauffeur hat. He waited for me to lock the door, then held out his arm to guide me to the black stretch limo that was waiting on my driveway. He opened the door, and shut it again once I had taken a seat. Pam and Amelia were waiting inside with a glass of champagne for me.

I accepted the glass with thanks. The two girls wished me happy birthday, and told me their plans for our evening. They had made reservations for us at a restaurant in Shreveport, then we were going to go back to the club for some dancing. Pam had arranged for a band to play at the club, and they had come highly recommended, so she really wanted me to see them.

During the journey to Shreveport, we talked about all sorts of things. Now that Pam's secret was out, I asked her about how she had met Eric, and all about her life as a vampire. She told us that she had met him one night in a club in New York after she had been harassed by an ex, and that they had gone back to her place. She said that after a few weeks together, Eric had told her the truth about himself, and offered her a life as a vampire. She decided she had nothing left for her in this life, since she really didn't get on with her parents, and she had lost touch with both of us so decided to go for it. She said that Eric was a fantastic maker and he had helped her through the difficult stage of being a newborn vampire. He had also taught her a lot about fighting, which she said was critical to her survival as a vampire, since they were quite a violent race.

I felt an unexpected twang of jealousy when she talked about spending time with Eric as his partner. I was sure that she had told me that they weren't together, so I asked, "I thought you told me that you weren't with Eric."

She laughed, "We're not together now, vampire child/maker relationships never last long in a sexual manner. We separated after about a year when I decided that I preferred women to men. No matter how gorgeous a man is, he can't compete with that!"

We'd arrived at the restaurant by now, so we exited the limo, and walked into the restaurant. The hostess took us to a table which had a couple of helium balloons floating above it. She wished me happy birthday, then left us with our menus. After the waiter came to take our order, Pam continued, "Eric is a very powerful vampire, so his guidance has been completely invaluable to me. It's through his business sense and my understanding of the law that we have been able to open the bar, and Eric's is the most profitable area in Louisiana."

"Eric's area?" Amelia queried.

"Yes, Eric is the Sheriff of Area 5, in the Kingdom of Louisiana," replied Pam seriously.

I almost spat out the wine that I'd just sipped when she said that. I had a mental image of Eric in tights, like something out of Robin Hood. And more to the point 'Kingdom of Louisiana?' I giggled.

"Well actually, it's a Queendom," said Pam. Amelia looked as incredulous as I'm sure I did. So Pam went on to explain how America had been split into kingdoms, which pretty much matched up with the states, and that each kingdom was split into areas, which in turn were run by sheriffs. She explained that Eric was over one thousand years old, and probably the oldest vampire in Louisiana, since even the queen was only about six hundred years old.

"Hang on," I said, "if Eric is older than the Queen, and if I'm right in my understanding of everything you've told me, shouldn't he be king?"

"By rights, he could be. But Eric prefers to rule his small chunk of Louisiana, rather than the entire state. He says he is embroiled enough in politics, and doesn't want to get sucked in any further."

We ate the rest of our meal in companionable silence, thinking about what Pam had told us. When we finished the meal, the lights in the restaurant went out, and I panicked, thinking that there was a power cut or something. That was until I saw a flicker of light, and everyone (and I mean everyone) in the restaurant started singing "Happy Birthday." The flicker turned out to be the candles on a slice of birthday cake which was being carried towards me.

I flushed bright red with embarrassment, and Pam and Amelia laughed. Behind the waiter who was carrying my cake, there was another, carrying a couple of gift bags. The cake and gift bags were deposited on the table, and I thanked everyone before the lights came up. I offered Amelia a fork, so that we could share the cake, and we tucked into it. Once we were finished, Pam gestured towards the gift bags. "Those are from us. We realised we'd missed a lot of your birthdays, and it's not every day you turn twenty five."

I reached for the bags with tears in my eyes (I was never more grateful that I'd worn waterproof mascara). Inside the bag from Amelia, there was a beautiful white cashmere sweater dress; and in the bag from Pam, there was a pair of brown suede, knee length, boots to wear with it. I jumped up from the table and threw my arms around each girl in thanks.

Pam looked at her watch, and said, "We'd better go if we want to make it to the club in time to see this band." She threw a few bills on the table, and we left the restaurant.

When we were back in the limo on the way to Fangtasia, Amelia said, "Oh, Sookie, I forgot to tell you. Remember that man who was in the room opposite yours when you were in hospital?" I nodded, "I have a date with him on Friday night!" she squealed. Pam and I made appropriately interested noises. She told us that his name was Tray Dawson, and that he owned a motorcycle repair garage about fifteen minutes outside of Bon Temps, on the way to Shreveport.

When we arrived at Fangtasia, we told Amelia that she'd have to tell us all about her date on Saturday. We exited the limo and skipped the queue at the front door of the club. We could hear the base thumping from outside. When we entered the club, I was careful to reinforce my shields after the problems I'd had there on opening night.

Pam motioned for us to follow her, and she led us to a booth currently being occupied by Eric. On seeing him, I realised that I hadn't written his thank you note, but now that I was seeing him in person, I could save myself the cost of a postage stamp. Eric stood when we approached the booth, "Ladies, I trust you have had a good evening so far." He smiled down at me and said, "Happy Birthday, Sookie."

"Thanks, Eric. And thank you for the flowers, they were beautiful, and totally unexpected."

"You're welcome, Sookie. You look lovely this evening." He waggled his eyebrows at me, then strode off towards the bar. I saw women surround him like teenaged pop fans around their favourite band as soon as he moved away from us. It was unreal – yes, the man was gorgeous, but come on! I didn't understand why these women (and some men, I noticed) threw themselves at Eric, since he clearly wasn't interested in any of them – he looked over his shoulder at me and grinned, before making his way to the stage.

He took the mic, and spoke into it, "Good evening, everyone. Tonight, I have the pleasure of introducing Silver Moon, who we have asked to play here to help celebrate the birthday of a very special lady." He looked at me and smiled, then said, "So, for her entertainment, and ours, please welcome Silver Moon to the stage." He turned and handed the mic to the singer, spoke a few words to him, then clapped his hand on his shoulder before leaping off the stage.

He gestured to a waitress, who disappeared to the bar, then came back with a tray laden with a bottle of champagne and two glasses for Amelia and I, and a bottle of True Blood for Pam. The waitress, who I realized was Ginger, said, "With the Master's compliments. He asked me to tell you that your drinks this evening will be on the house." I cringed internally at her calling Eric "Master", but smiled and thanked her. I looked up to find Eric, who was sitting at the bar and smiled my thanks at him. He smiled and raised his glass in toast to me before turning back to his conversation with the man on the next stool.

Pam, Amelia and I sat and had one more drink before heading to the dance floor. The band was great – they did a brilliant mix of rock and pop music, with the occasional ballad thrown in. They had just finished a fantastic cover of the King's of Leon's "Sex on Fire", when the lead singer said that they were almost finished for the evening, but that they had a special request before they finished up for their last song. The first strains of Chris De Burgh's Lady in Red played, and the three of us turned to leave the dance floor and head to our seats, when I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. I turned to find Eric standing beside me with a smile on his face. "May I have this dance?"

After the effort he'd made to book the band, and arrange for them to sing this song, I just couldn't say no (in fact, at this point, I don't think I could have spoken at all, I was so taken aback by events and the way that Eric was looking at me), so I just smiled at him and held out my hand. He wrapped his arms around me and asked if I'd had a good evening. I smiled and nodded, "I've had a brilliant night. Thank you, Eric."

"I'm glad." he said with a smile, before giving me a really kind of intense look. I could feel some pressure on my brain, but nothing too alarming. "Amazing!" he said under his breath.

"What are you doing, Eric?" I asked.

"Nothing," he replied, too innocently. I raised my eyebrow in disbelief. "OK, I was seeing if I could glamour you."

I was shocked, and tried to pull away from him, but he just held me tighter. "Let me go Eric!" I demanded.

"No." I figured there was no way I was going to get loose from his arms, so I asked why he had tried to glamour me. His reply was astounding, "I had a feeling that I couldn't, but even if I had been able to, I wouldn't have made you do anything that you'd not have done anyway."

"So what were you going to make me do?" I asked, not really sure if I wanted to know the answer to that.

"Kiss me," he said matter of factly.

"And what makes you think I want to do that?"

"Because I can see the way that you look at me, Sookie, and I hear your heart beating faster when I'm around." _God, this man is so big headed._

He leaned towards me, and gently pressed his lips to mine. I couldn't help but respond, and leant into him. He deepened the kiss, and swept his tongue across my bottom lip. I gasped, and he took the opportunity to press his tongue into my mouth. Our tongues battled for dominance until I had to break the kiss to breathe. We stared into one another's eyes before leaning back in to one another and kissing again. Boy, Eric could _really_ kiss! I guessed, though, that he'd had over a thousand years to perfect his technique, and I was more than willing to be the recipient of such talent.

The song ended, and we stood in the middle of the dance floor, kissing, until someone broke into our private moment by clearing their throat beside us. I groaned and Eric said, "Pam, go away." I turned towards Pam, who had a very worried look on her face.

"Eric, Sookie, we have a problem."

Flowers from Sam http:/www(dot)magnolia(dot)ro/en/Send-flowers-to-Cluj-Napoca-and-Bucharest/Bouquet-with-yellow-orange-flowers-pID1214(dot)html

Flowers from Jason http:/www(dot)centralsquareflorist(dot)com/product_detail/407

Flowers from Eric http:/www(dot)mycypressgardensflorist(dot)com/product/cypressgardensfl-flowersmiamifl/display

Claudine's gift http:/www(dot)giftshour(dot)com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Silver-Swarovski-Crystal-Red-Ruby-Birthstone-Necklace-Earrings-Jewelry-Set-in-Gift-Box-Bucasi-SALE(dot)jpg

Amelia's gift http:/www(dot)stylehive(dot)com/bookmark/women-cashmere-sweater-dress-cashmere-sweaters-banana-republic-254459

Pam's gift http:/www(dot)mycolorfashion(dot)com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/12/Kors-Michael-Kors-Lucille-knee-high-suede-boots(dot)jpg


	15. Chapter 15 Blood Exchange

Well, here's chapter 15! I'm sorry I've left you hanging with the minor cliffie at the end of the last chapter... I've had this one ready for the last fortnight, but haven't been able to update due to problems with FFN... I think you will be able to tell by the chapter title that things are moving along for our favourite couple ;-)

Oh, and this is my first ever attempt at writing lemonade (yup, there's some in here!), so I hope I've got it right.

As always, thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**, who have been a tremendous encouragement to write this story, and big hugs to my beta, **GaijinVamp - **without her help there'd be a load of random commas and full stops all over the place!

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen – Blood Exchange**

"_Eric, Sookie, we have a problem."_

Those words, combined with the look on Pam's face caused my stomach to sink, and my knees to buckle. Fortunately, Eric still had his arms wrapped around me; otherwise I probably would have hit the floor.

"What's the problem, Pam?" Eric growled, still not happy at the interruption.

"Madden," was Pam's one word reply spoken so quietly, I barely heard her.

"Time to go," said Eric, as he started leading me towards the door marked 'Employees Only'. It hid his office and the back door to the club.

My brain still wasn't fully functioning (the result of a combination of the mother of all kisses that Eric had just laid on me, and the shock of what Pam had told us), but I had enough wits about me to ask "What about Amelia?"

Pam replied, "She's coming with us, because this could affect her too, although I'm more worried about you." She dashed off to collect Amelia from the booth where she was sitting while Eric led me through the door.

We gathered in the hallway outside of Eric's office. Eric was about to speak, but Pam interrupted, "Not here," and gestured towards the back door.

Amelia looked confused. "We're leaving? What about the limo?"

"Not safe." said Pam, "I'll fill you in, in the car." Then she spoke to Eric "I'll take Amelia back to my place. You bring Sookie in your car."

Pam rushed Amelia out of the back door of the club, and I watched as she got Amelia settled in the passenger seat of the black BMW before literally disappearing. She re-appeared moments later with my gift bags in her hand and a grin on her face. _Damn vampire speed – she's fast!_

Eric waited for Pam to drive off before planting another kiss on my lips. Before I could really get into it, he pulled away, and said "Come on, let's go and find out what's going on."

He led me towards the Corvette (I'd been right about their cars), and opened the passenger door for me. He waited for me to get in, then shut the door and appeared almost instantly on the driver's side. He hopped into the car, and glanced over at me to check that my seatbelt was on, then gunned the engine.

We roared out of the parking lot, and I tightened my grip on my seat. I felt like my heart had leapt into my throat and got stuck there. My mind was working in overdrive, thinking of all of the possible scenarios involving Victor Madden that could have gotten Pam so worried. Even as a human, Pam hadn't been a worrier – she'd always been pragmatic, and had always been able to think her way out of any situation.

Eric reached out his right hand, and I clutched it as if it was a life raft, and I was floating in the ocean. "Eric, I'm scared," I whispered. I don't think I could have forced any more volume into my voice. Something had changed tonight, and I was no longer scared of Eric. Sure, he was still arrogant and egotistical, but he'd shown me a softer side, and I didn't think he wanted to hurt me in any way.

"I know. But whatever it is, we'll fix it," He said. I didn't really want to admit it to myself, but the way he said 'we' left me warm and fuzzy inside.

We were tearing through the streets at well above the speed limit, and soon we left the commercial area of Shreveport and into suburbia. I wasn't paying much attention to where we were going, I was so lost in my thoughts, so I was surprised when Eric pulled into a driveway.

The house was a modern two-story with an attached garage, no different than any other suburban house. The lights were on downstairs, and I could see someone walking around inside. Eric got out of the car, and came round to open my door for me. He held my hand as we walk towards the house. Pam opened the door as we arrived at the steps, and stood aside to let us in.

As we walked past her, she gave me a knowing smile, then put her hand on my shoulder and said "I'm sorry." I wasn't entirely sure what she was apologising for, but I had a feeling it wasn't just for interrupting my kiss with Eric earlier. I also had a feeling that I really didn't want to know the rest.

Eric towed me into Pam's living room, where a very scared looking Amelia was sitting on a recliner with a glass of water in her hand. I sat on the settee, and Eric sat next to me, still holding my hand.

Pam appeared in the living room with a bottle of True Blood for Eric, and a glass of water for me. "I'm sorry, I don't have anything else to offer you," she apologised. I nodded in acknowledgement, and she set my glass, and Eric's bottle, on the coffee table before picking up her own bottle which was already there.

She sat in the recliner, and was just about to take a drink from her bottle when Eric broke the silence. "Speak, Pam. What is this 'problem' that we have?"

"Victor Madden was at the club tonight."

"I know. I spoke with him before you all arrived," said Eric, as though he was speaking with a five year old. His face was still perfectly calm, but if the way he was speaking was any indication, he was getting really annoyed.

Pam set her bottle back on the coffee table. "What you don't know is that he saw your little display with Sookie on the dance floor, then got a real greedy look on his face, before he left the club in a hurry. I don't trust that piece of shit, Eric, and I don't trust that he won't use Sookie to try to get to you."

Whoa! This was going way too far, way too fast. "But there's nothing going on between Eric and me." I protested.

Pam looked at mine and Eric's joined hands and smirked. "That doesn't matter to Madden, Sookie. He's seen you at that club twice now, and both times you got up close and personal with Eric."

That wasn't strictly true. The first time I was there, I collapsed, and Eric caught me and carried me through to his office to recover. Tonight… well, yeah, tonight I danced with Eric, and we kissed, but that wasn't exactly up close and personal. We were on the dance floor for goodness sake! There must have been at least a dozen other couples on that dance floor playing tonsil hockey.

Then the word hit me – Couples. _Oh Shit!_ My body tensed, my breath quickened and my eyes started to well up. Eric pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. He was whispering soothing noises into my ear, trying to calm me down when Amelia spoke up. "Excuse me, I think I'm missing something here. Who is this Victor Madden that you're all talking about?" Pam clearly hadn't filled her in in the car.

Eric growled at the mention of his name, but Pam answered: "Victor Madden is the sheriff of Area Three in Nevada, and his king's right hand man. He's been coming to Louisiana quite regularly for the past few months to do business with our queen, but every time he comes into the state, he makes a point of coming to Area Five and making Eric's life difficult. We have reason to believe that he's been breaking into both mine and Eric's offices in order to gain information about Eric's business. We don't know why, but we suspect he may be trying to gather intelligence for the king of Nevada ahead of a takeover attempt."

"Why would the King of Nevada want to take over Louisiana?" asked Amelia.

I guessed the answer to that one. "Because Louisiana and Nevada are both tourist states, and they both pull in a lot of profit. He probably wants to gain control of that. Money is power and all that."

Eric looked at my face with an approving look. Hey, I may not be college educated, but I know what goes on in the world. Plus, Claudine had told me how vampires work one day when we were talking about everything else supernatural.

"So, what's that got to do with you, Sookie?" asked Amelia.

Eric spoke up, "Sookie uncovered what Victor was doing, and made some really useful suggestions to help us catch him. He is not aware of her involvement, but he is extremely pissed off with me, because I reported his actions, along with my suspicions, to my queen. She confronted him about it, but of course he denied it."

Amelia huffed, "And she believed him?"

"No, she did not believe him, nor does she quite trust him," replied Eric. He looked at me, then said "My greatest concern at the moment is how Victor Madden may view your innocence."

"My innocence? Of course, I'm innocent!" I jumped off Eric's lap and shouted down at him, "I wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't gotten me involved in the first place!"

Eric gave Pam a significant look, so she stood and said, "Amelia, come help me prepare my guest bedrooms. It looks like you're both staying the night." She took her hand and pulled her out of the room.

I didn't want to stay the night, I just wanted to go home, and get away from Eric. My emotions were all over the place, and I wanted to be alone before I totally broke down. I made my way towards the door, but before I'd even taken two steps, Eric was in front of me with his hands on my shoulders. I tried to shake him off, but he held firm. "Sookie, stop! It's not safe for you to be out there on your own."

I sagged, realising that not only was he right, but I that I didn't have a clue where I was.

He pulled me into his arms, and kissed the top of my head before saying, "I know you're innocent, Sookie, and I apologise for dragging you into this. However, your innocence of any perceived crime against Madden wasn't what I was referring to earlier." I looked up at him blankly, not understanding what his point was. He sighed, "You are untouched."

I could kill Pam – I can't believe she told him that!

"Before you say anything, Pam didn't tell me," he said.

"How do you know?" I asked

"I can smell it, Sookie. Your fairy blood, combined with your virginity, make for quite an intoxicating scent, although I would never have identified the fairy if you hadn't told me." I was astounded. Did that mean that every vampire in the club knew that I was a virgin? As the question ran through my mind, I knew the answer – of course they did.

"So why are you concerned about it?" I wanted to know.

"We vampires are a possessive race. If we take a human partner, we are seen by fellow vampires to own that human." I blanched at the thought of being owned, but before I could say anything, Eric continued, "As you know, we also have heightened senses, and our sense of smell is far superior to that of humans. One of the ways that we can identify a human who is owned by a vampire is by their scent – we can smell their vampire on them. A human who doesn't smell of vampire is fair game, particularly if they are an innocent."

The impact of Eric's words hit me like a ton of bricks. Victor Madden would have smelled that I was still a virgin, and despite the fact that he had seen Eric and me together, he would see me as fair game. He'd probably try to abduct and rape me to get to Eric! I knew from the time that I'd spent at the club that vampires weren't ones for public displays of affection, so the fact that Eric had kissed me like that on the dance floor meant that to him, I wasn't just some fang banger. Eric saw my struggle, and sat back down, pulling me back onto his lap.

He continued, "There are two ways that a human can get a vampire's scent. The first is sex; since feeding and fucking are intrinsically linked for vampires, so the vampire feeds from their human, as well as taking their other pleasures. The other method is blood exchange, but this is not common, because as I said, we vampires are a possessive bunch, and the thing that we guard most jealously is our blood."

"So what are you saying? That you want to have sex with me?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Yes, but not right now. You are not ready for that step yet. And besides, I find that I want to get to know you first, which is a first for me." He looked almost unhappy at that, but I let it drop.

"So you want to exchange blood, then?"

"I think it may be safest for you under the circumstances if we do," he said matter of factly.

I felt slightly sick at the prospect. Blood had never bothered me, but the thought of drinking someone else's blood again, especially someone I didn't know too well, didn't sit too well with me. "I won't turn into a vampire will I?" I asked.

He laughed, a deep, velvety sound that I wouldn't mind hearing again. "No, I would have to drain you dry, then feed you my blood for that to happen." I glared at him in alarm. "Don't worry, I value your company too much to do that without your permission." I remembered Pam telling me that vampire maker/child relationships never lasted, but decided to think about that later.

I took a deep breath and blew it out, "OK, how do we do this?" I didn't know what Victor Madden was capable of, but I definitely didn't want to find out, so exchanging blood with Eric probably was my best option at this point.

"Well, I think we should have a bit of privacy, for a start."

"We're alone now."

"Yes, but Pam is hovering on the other side of the door. Come in, Pam." The door opened and Pam and Amelia stepped into the room. "We will go to one of your guest rooms for some privacy. Leave us in peace." He said, as he stood with me in his arms and set me on my feet. He grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs, into a room decorated a lovely pale yellow that was Pam all over. Pam had always been one for pastels.

I looked at the bed and suddenly felt nervous. "So, how do we do this?" I asked again.

Eric pulled me into his arms and kissed me again. This time, there was no hesitation – I was right there with him. I swept my tongue over his lips and felt that his fangs had dropped (which hadn't happened at the club, perhaps he was trying not to frighten me). Strangely, the fangs didn't bother me at all, I just ran my tongue over each of them in turn. Eric groaned at the sensation and his hands started to wander. I broke the kiss for a much needed breath, but Eric's lips never left me – instead, he kissed his way along my jaw line and down my throat. His left hand was cupping my breast, and his right had reached behind me to start pulling down the zipper on my dress.

I pulled back. "Eric, I'm not ready for that."

"I know. Trust me, my lover," he breathed, then picked up right where he left off.

When he'd pulled my zipper all the way down, he pushed the straps off my shoulders and let my dress pool around my feet. I stepped out if it, and he started moving me backwards towards the bed. When the backs of my knees hit the mattress, he started leaning in towards me, so that I had no choice but to lie on the bed. He supported my back with his left arm, while his right arm was braced on the bed, so that we didn't collapse in a heap.

His kiss was searing, and I began to feel moisture pooling between my legs. He obviously smelled that, because he pulled back a little with a devious grin on his face. His hands were everywhere, but never once did he try to take my underwear off, for which I was mostly grateful, but part of me was screaming at him to take it further.

I was running my hands up and down his back underneath his T-shirt, then I decided that he had too many clothes on, so I started to tug at the hem. He sat up momentarily to allow me to pull off his shirt and smirked at me when I stopped to admire the view. I've read romance novels, and I've seen so many comparisons to Michelangelo's David it's not funny, but seeing Eric without a shirt left me speechless, and at that point I couldn't have described his beauty to you in any other terms.

I pulled him towards me, and kissed him for all I was worth. He responded immediately, and started to rock his hips towards mine. The bulge at the front of his jeans was anything but average – I was sure it was in proportion with the rest of his body,

The friction of his jeans against my centre was going wonderful things to me, and I couldn't control the moan that slipped out of my mouth. I felt embarrassed at making the sound, but Eric smirked and rocked his hips into me again, and I moaned again. He took this as his cue, and slipped his fingers into my panties.

"Mmm, so wet for me Sookie," he groaned. His fingers circled my nub, and I bucked my hips towards him. He slipped a finger into my centre, and started pumping it in and out while rubbing my nub with his thumb.

He inserted a second finger, and increased the pressure with his thumb. I knew I wasn't going to last much longer when I felt a coil in my stomach begin to tighten. He curled his fingers, and I came undone. My walls were clamping down on his fingers when he sank his fangs into my neck. I was still floating on my high, so I didn't even realise he'd done it until he brought his bloody lips up to kiss me. He withdrew his fingers, then licked them clean. He closed his eyes to savour the taste and said, "Delicious."

Before I knew what was happening, he was behind me, pulling me up to lean my back against his chest. My whole body felt like a limp noodle, I was so relaxed, so he had to do all of the work. He bit his wrist, and put it to my mouth. I latched on and started to suck.

He groaned, and rocked his hips against my back. Suddenly, he stiffened and groaned again, before whispering, "That's enough, Sookie," and pulling his arm away.

We stayed wrapped in each other's arms like that, whispering to one another about how good our little encounter had been, until my breathing evened out and my eyes started to droop. He laid me down and dropped a kiss on my forehead before saying, "Sleep, my angel. I will see you at first dark tomorrow, and we will talk." I felt the bed shift as he got up and wrapped the covers around me, then heard the door click shut.

A while later, I thought I felt the bed sink again, and a cool pair of arms wrap around me from behind, but I wasn't sure if I dreamt it.


	16. Chapter 16 Blood Magic

Wow, your response to my last chapter was fantastic :-) I'm so glad I didn't crash and burn with my first lemon... Trust me, there's more to come!

As always, thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**, who have been a tremendous encouragement to write this story, and big hugs to my beta, **GaijinVamp - **without her help there'd be a load of random commas and full stops all over the place!

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen – Blood Magic**

I woke alone in the bed, after a night of very pleasant dreams, at about three in the afternoon. I wasn't sure if it was the blood exchange, or what we had done last night, but I just couldn't get my mind off Eric Northman. I didn't want to open my eyes in case the light of day made me realise that what had happened was all a dream.

I couldn't help but think that despite the problem with Victor Madden, this had to have been my best birthday ever. I had a huge grin spread across my face as I stretched my arms out to the side. As my left arm hit the pillow next to me, I felt something smooth. I opened my eyes to investigate, and found a folded piece of paper with my name written on the outside, in an elegant script. I opened it, and found a note from Eric.

_Lover,_

_I am sorry that you find yourself alone in bed this morning, but I'm sure you understand why I am unable to stay with you. I have gone back to my own home for my daytime rest, but I will return as soon as darkness falls. _

_I would ask you, for your safety, to remain inside the house today. Pam has purchased some food for you, which she has placed in the kitchen, so you won't go hungry._

_Take care, and I will see you this evening._

_~E_

I wasn't particularly happy at the prospect of being cooped up in the house all day, but if Eric said it was for my safety, I would trust his judgement. After all, he'd had over a thousand years to hone his instincts.

I got out of bed with a sigh, folded the letter, and stored it in my purse, which someone had placed on the bedside table for me, along with a glass of water. Pam had a robe hanging on the back of the bedroom door, so I slipped it on before leaving the room. I hadn't taken much notice of my surroundings the night before, because I had been so nervous about what I was about to do with Eric, so I was glad to see that someone had left the bathroom door open.

I went into the bathroom and took care of business, then padded down the stairs and made my way into the kitchen. Amelia was already there with a cup of coffee and the local paper (I had a strange sense of déjà vu at the scene). She looked up at me with a huge smile on her face, "Morning Sookie! Good night?"

I grinned back, "The best! Well, apart from all that stuff with Victor Madden, anyway," I poured myself a cup of coffee and my stomach rumbled. " I'm starving, what's to eat around here?"

"Pam and I went to the store last night to give you and Eric some privacy after you disappeared upstairs, so there's a few things in the fridge, or there's bread for toast, but you'll need to use the grill in the oven since Pam doesn't have a toaster."

I fixed myself a bowl of chopped fruit then sat at the table with Amelia, who looked at me expectantly. "What?" I asked innocently. I could hear exactly what she wanted to ask me, but I wanted her to ask out loud. I didn't want to make a habit of answering the questions that I heard in people's thoughts.

"Don't you 'what' me, Sookie Stackhouse! What happened with you and Eric last night? I thought you didn't like him."

I couldn't help the smile that crept across my face when I recalled what we'd been up to last night. "I didn't like him, but something changed last night. We kissed, but I'm sure you knew that."

"Kissed, my ass, Sook! With that grin on your chops, you must have done more than just kissing. Otherwise, why would you need to disappear upstairs?"

I flushed with embarrassment – I felt like a teenager talking about her first kiss. "Well, yeah, but..."

"I knew it! You did the nasty with him didn't you? I knew you wouldn't be able to resist the Eric Northman charm for long!" Amelia was practically bouncing in her seat.

"Erm, no. We didn't 'do the nasty' as you so nicely put it, Amelia." I replied sternly. I still hadn't put my shields up, so I could hear her wondering if I was telling the truth, and what we'd done if I was. It upset me to hear that she'd even consider that I lied to her, so my next words were spoken a little harshly. "Amelia, I'm not a liar, and I don't want to talk about it."

She looked shocked for a second before comprehension crossed her face. "I never said you were a liar, Sook. I just can't believe that you didn't do it – I don't think I would be able to resist that!" she said with a smile.

I figured since she hadn't voiced her thoughts, I couldn't really hold them against her, but I was still stung. "I didn't say I didn't want to," I huffed.

"Are you telling me that Eric Northman turned down sex?" she sounded incredulous, and I wondered what she'd heard about Eric. I slammed up my shields, because I really didn't want to know.

"Yes. But that's because he said I wasn't ready, and that he wanted to get to know me first. That's good, right?" My only experience in this area had been with Bill, who had constantly pressured me, and his gropes were nothing like the sweet caresses from Eric last night.

"Could be," she replied thoughtfully, "it either means that he's not interested at all, or that he _really_ likes you." I dropped my eyes to the table, hurt by the thought that he may not be interested and that what we'd done last night was just because he was excited because I was taking his blood. "Judging by the way that he looks at you, and by the way that he held you when you got upset, I would guess that he really likes you." I looked up, and Amelia was grinning at me from across the table. "You think?" I asked hesitantly. "He hardly knows me – how could he possibly _really_ like me? Maybe it's the fairy blood."

"Yes, I think. When Pam and I talked last night, she said that she'd never seen Eric like he was with you with anyone, including herself, when she was first changed. She said that for him to offer you his blood is a major thing – he's so old his blood is really powerful, and apart from when he made her, he's never given his blood to anyone else."

He hadn't told me that. "Then why would he do something like that for me?" I thought out loud.

"Pam said that she'd talked to him about us both when they first met, and that she showed him some photos. She said that when he saw your picture, it was like a switch flipped inside him or something. She said it was as if he'd woken up from a daze, and that up until that point, she'd never seen any life in his eyes. She said that it was almost like he'd become bored with life, which is understandable after a thousand years, but that when he saw your photo, he found a reason to live again."

I contemplated this in silence, not entirely sure what to make of it. After a few minutes, Amelia continued, "That's why they moved back to Louisiana. About a year ago, Eric was contacted by the Queen, who offered him a position as sheriff. Eric knew that it wouldn't be long until the Great Revelation. So he decided to move back here to be closer to you when the time came."

Now that sounded... I didn't know if it sounded really romantic, or really creepy! I did know, that from the first time I saw the photo of Eric that Pam had sent to me, I'd felt an attraction, but I didn't think that it was anything more than thinking how gorgeous he was. I'd have to think about that one later, and if our relationship (if that's what it was) continued, I would speak with him about it, when things settled a bit.

While we had been talking, the sun had started to sink in the sky and I realised it wouldn't be long before Pam and Eric rose for the night. I didn't want to still be in my underwear and a robe when Eric arrived in case he got the wrong idea, so I thought I should get dressed. I figured that Pam must have loaned Amelia something, because she was dressed in different clothes from last night. Pam and Amelia were both the same size and had similar dress sense, but I was curvier than they were, so there was no way that I'd fit into Pam's clothes.

I contemplated what I could wear for about a minute before I remembered the sweater dress and boots that I'd gotten from the girls last night. The only problem I had was underwear. I supposed I'd have to wear yesterday's. I screwed my face up at the thought – I couldn't think of many things less appealing. "What's up?" asked Amelia.

"I was thinking of getting dressed in the sweater dress and boots you and Pam gave me, but I don't have any fresh underwear."

"Oh! Wait a minute!" she exclaimed before running out of the kitchen. She re-appeared a couple of minutes later, slightly out of breath, with a bag in her hand. "Here. We bought this last night for you." I opened the bag, and found a white thong and bra set, in a white satiny material with lacy edges. "They're just from Wal-Mart, but they're better than nothing."

I thanked her profusely, then left the room to shower and dress. I found a hair elastic in the bathroom, and used it to pull my hair into a loose bun, before I jumped in the shower. When I finished, I toweled off, then pulled on the underwear and sweater dress (I saved the boots for later). I checked myself over in the mirror before I left the room. I looked great! I'd already looked and felt good with the development of my fairy genes, but Eric's blood seemed to have done wonders. My lips seemed fuller and a lovely, natural shade of red. My eyes were brighter, and I felt healthier than I ever had.

I heard the bass rumble of a male voice downstairs, and I had to stop myself from running back down to the kitchen, because I still wasn't sure what was going on between Eric and me, and I didn't want to make a fool of myself if it was just a one night thing. Amelia's words rang in my head and gave me confidence though, so I took a deep breath and made my way downstairs.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I heard the voices coming from the living room. I sucked in another deep breath and stepped through the door. Amelia and Eric were sitting in the same positions as last night. I decided to go and sit next to Eric, like I had last night, but I didn't want to sit too close in case I looked too keen. Eric made my decision for me – reaching out to me as I stepped closer to him. He took my hand and kissed the back of it, before saying, "Hello, lover. You look beatuiful this evening."

I flushed at the use of the nick-name he'd chosen to call me in front of Amelia, "Thanks, Eric. You too." He looked amazing (as always) in black leather trousers and a black wife beater, with his hair tied at the nape of his neck with a leather thong.

He tugged on my hand and pulled me down onto his lap before dropping a kiss on my forehead. I glanced up at Amelia, who just smirked at me. "Where's Pam?" I asked.

"Right here," she said, as she stepped through the door with a couple of bottles of True Blood. She handed one to Eric before sitting on the same recliner that she'd used last night.

"Hi! Thanks for the…erm… undies."

"No problem. I remembered your extreme hatred of wearing yesterday's underwear, and thought you'd want some clean ones," Pam replied.

Eric raised an eyebrow, and ducked his head to whisper to me, "You didn't need to wear any for me!" He waggled his eyebrows.

"Eric!" I exclaimed, and slapped him on the arm. He laughed that wonderful laugh of his.

We chatted for a few minutes. Eric asked me about my day, and I told him about what we'd done, which was difficult, since I didn't really want to bring up what Amelia had talked about. He listened in silence while I told him about my day, before saying, "You're nervous about something, lover. What is it?"

I replied quietly, "Not now. I'll talk to you about it later." I could have lied to him about it, and said I was nervous about Victor Madden (which wouldn't have been far from the truth), but I didn't want to. I didn't want a relationship based on lies. I'd had that before and had my heart broken.

He gave me a questioning look, but let me drop the subject. "OK, let's get down to business. We need to discuss what we're going to do to keep you safe from Madden."

Pam spoke up, "Eric and I discussed it after you both went to bed last night, and we think that you should be OK, Amelia, since Madden didn't see you with anyone but me. His argument is with Eric, so he's more likely to go after me or Sookie, and since Sookie is more vulnerable than I am…"

Eric gave me a quick squeeze as she said the last part.

"I think so too," said Amelia. "I've put wards on my house, and I work with supes, so I'll be OK at work too. I agree, it's Sookie we need to worry about."

All this talk of me being the weak link made me very nervous, so I sank back into Eric's arms. Eric asked Amelia, "Can you place wards on Sookie's home?"

"Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem. I can do it tomorrow afternoon when I'm off work. That'll give me chance to get the ingredients I need."

"Good. What kind of conventional security do you have at home, Sookie?" he asked.

"None, really. It's an old farmhouse outside of Bon Temps, and it's so remote, we've never had any problems before."

"If it's remote, that's all the more reason to get some security installed. You never know what could be lurking around outside your house. I'll call someone tonight to get them to come out in the morning."

"OK," I said. "Money's no object." At that I had three pairs of eyes bore into me – Amelia kind of shook her head as if she couldn't believe I'd said anything. Pam and Eric just looked shocked that I could say something like that. I guess I hadn't kept my secret very well. "I, erm… came into some money yesterday." I explained to Pam and Eric shyly.

"Really?" asked Pam, shocked.

"Yeah, my grandfather set up a trust fund, and it matured yesterday on my birthday. I'm not supposed to tell people how much it's worth though." I was desperate to change the subject. Mr Cataliades had told me not to say anything to anyone, and I didn't want to have everyone knowing my business. I didn't want to lie to Pam and Eric, and I knew if we carried on with this line of conversation, I'd either have to do that, or I'd spill all the details.

Thankfully, Eric changed the subject for me, obviously sensing how uncomfortable I was. "We'll need to get you some personal security, too."

"What, like a bodyguard?" I asked, with a laugh.

"That's exactly what I mean. And before you protest, please understand that Victor Madden is a very unpleasant vampire who will stop at nothing to achieve what he's set out to. I won't be able to be with you during the day, and I need to know you'll be safe. I want someone with you that I trust. I will speak with your boss."

"My boss? What's Sam got to do with it?" I asked.

"Sam is a shape shifter," he explained. "He can turn into any animal he likes, at any time, but he's forced into the change at full moon."

"Like a werewolf?" asked Amelia.

"Exactly," replied Eric, "except for the fact that werewolves can only shift into wolves. Weres and shifters are all stronger than humans, and I've got no doubt that Madden will employ his own Weres to come after you during the day."

I shut my eyes and sighed. The whole situation was bigger (and worse) than I thought, and I was terrified. Eric gave me another squeeze and said, "Don't worry, lover. I won't let anything happen to you. I've only just found you and I'm not going to lose you." I swear I saw Pam make a gagging motion out of the corner of my eye.

I realised I didn't want to lose him either, so I turned to give him a kiss on the cheek, and asked, "What about you?"

Eric chuckled and said "I can look after myself."

"But what about during the day?"

"No one but Pam knows where I rest during the day, and my home has extremely advanced security," he said confidently.

"OK, so the weak link is me. I'll agree to a bodyguard, but only if I'm not at home or work. We'll tell Sam about the situation, and he can keep an eye on me at work. But I'm going to speak with Claudine to see if there's anything that my fairy powers might be able to do to protect me, because I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone trailing me around wherever I go," I sighed, resigned.

"Excellent idea, lover," declared Eric approvingly. "I'm going to arrange for someone to come out to your house in the morning to look at the security there. You stay and talk with Pam and Amelia for a while, then I'll take you home." He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead, then shifted me to the side on the sofa next to him. He stood and took his cell phone out of his pocket, flipped it open and pressed a few buttons. He put the phone to his ear, and after a couple of seconds, he spoke, "Herveaux, this is Eric Northman." _Typical man – he has no phone manners!_ "I have an urgent job for you…" he stepped out of the living room and closed the door, so I didn't hear the rest of his conversation, but I knew he would tell me later.

As soon as the door was closed, Pam smirked at me and said, "Sookie, you smell different. What did you and Eric get up to last night?"

I resisted the urge to sniff my skin. I knew from what Eric told me about the blood exchange that I would smell different to vampires, "We exchanged blood," I said quietly, "I thought you knew that."

"Oh, I knew that, and I smell Eric all over you. But that's not what I meant. You don't smell so… innocent as you did. It's still there, but not as strong as it was, and my guest bedroom smells of sex." She grinned, "Oh, and I felt your _extreme_ _pleasure_ while I was walking round Wal-Mart with Amelia."

I'd forgotten that Pam was able to sense my emotions. "Oh, God, you felt that?" I asked, mortified.

"Yes," she replied, stone-faced. "Since Eric turned me two years ago, I have been able to sense both yourself and Amelia. I can sense the general direction of where you are, and when either of you feels extreme emotion, I can feel that too."

Amelia looked astonished, but I'd learned so many things that had seemed impossible over the past few weeks, I didn't think anything else could surprise me. She kind of breathed the words "blood magic" in an awed but curious tone. I had no idea what she was talking about, so I gave her a questioning look.

"Blood magic is any magic involving blood," she explained. "Amongst the supernatural, it's extremely common, since they live and breathe through the magic. But it almost never works in a non-supernatural context; and I have never heard of it lying dormant like that," she said excitedly. "Vampires are animated by blood magic, so probably when Eric turned Pam, the magic we did when we were sixteen was somehow activated."

"What we did was blood magic?" Pam asked.

"Yeah, anything involving a blood exchange like we did constitutes blood magic, even if it's not intentional," replied Amelia. "In our case though, it has turned out to be a good thing, since it gives you a feeling for where we both are if we're feeling strong emotions. That way, if anything happens to either of us, you'll be able to find us. And of course, Sookie's doubly protected now since she's had Eric's blood, because he'll be able to feel her all the time."

The thought of Pam and Eric being able to find me if something happened was a comfort to me, but it still didn't outweigh my dread at the prospect of something happening to me in the first place. I knew that with my fairy genes and my telepathy, there was very little likelihood of me being able to avoid the supe community, but I was scared about what that involvement would bring me.

I sat brooding about that, while Pam and Amelia continued to chat about blood magic, and what our seemingly innocent blood exchange as teenagers meant for us now that we were all part of the supe community to some degree.

Amelia was saying, "I'm going to do some research on it, I'll have to ring my mentor for some information."

"Are you ready to leave, lover?" Eric interrupted, as he walked back into the room.

"Almost, let me just grab my things." I dashed upstairs to grab my purse and my gift bags, which now held my clothes from last night, then came back down to put my boots on.

Eric took the bags from me, and went out of the front door to wait by the car. I gave the girls a hug and groaned when they said in unison, "Don't do anything we wouldn't do!" I laughed and turned towards Eric, who was waiting beside the passenger door of his car.

When I reached the car, he wrapped his arms around me and laid the mother of all kisses on me. I eventually broke away gasping for breath, and he grinned at me, "I've been waiting to do that all night!"


	17. Chapter 17 Coming home

As always, thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**, who have been a tremendous encouragement to write this story, and big hugs to my beta, **GaijinVamp - **she helped the lemony scene flow a lot better in this chapter!

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen – Coming Home**

During the journey back to Bon Temps, Eric and I talked about all sorts of things, and it was nice to have a normal conversation with him that didn't feel like a war council. About ten minutes into the trip, Cyndi Lauper's version of _Time After Time_ came on the radio. I reached over to the volume, saying, "Oh, I love this song!", then started singing along almost involuntarily. I'm the type of person who just has to sing along whenever there's any music playing.

When the song finished, Eric smiled over at me and said "Sookie, you really do have a fantastic voice. I was serious when I asked you to sing at Fangtasia."

"It's funny you should say that. I wasn't sure if you were serious, but I thought I'd muck around with some songs which are a little more appropriate for Fangtasia than I normally sing. I'm not sure that people there would like what I have though."

"Nonsense, Sookie. If you sing at Fangtasia, everyone will love you."

"Well, give me a couple of weeks to work on a set list."

"Deal!" he grinned, "I can't wait to see you working the audience at Fangtasia. Please wear the red dress you wore the first time I met you – you look stunning in it." With a request like that, who was I to deny him? After a beat of silence, he asked, "How did you get into singing professionally

I laughed, "By accident, really. I've always loved singing, but thought that I didn't sing well. One day, I was singing along to the jukebox at work and Sam heard me. He told me that I had a great voice and persuaded me to sing at the bar that Friday night. I really didn't want to do it, but I figured 'what the hell' and did it anyway, and I've been doing it ever since."

Eric was driving well over the speed limit again, so we were almost at Bon Temps by the time I'd told him my little history. I wanted to know more about him, but I wasn't sure what to ask. Eventually, I asked, "Pam told me you're over a thousand years old – is that true?" He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, and I felt guilty for asking. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

He reached his right hand out and took hold of mine. "Never apologize for wanting to find out more about me, lover. I was just worried that you may not like the answer. Yes, I am over a thousand years old. I don't know exactly how old, because in those days we didn't keep records like we do now. So, how does it feel to be twenty five and dating a thousand year old vampire?" he grinned at me.

"Is that what we're doing?" I asked

He looked a little disappointed, "Is that not what you want?"

"No! I mean Yes!" I groaned, frustrated that I couldn't get my words straight. Eric waited patiently for me to put my thoughts into order. When I'd engaged my brain filter, I said "I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. What I meant to say was 'Yes, I would like that.' But sometimes when I get nervous, my mouth and brain seem to operate completely separately. And now I'm rambling. I'm going to shut up now!"

Eric laughed at my little brain meltdown, then asked for directions since we'd just passed the road sign for Bon Temps. He slowed right down, so I could give him directions in plenty of time, and I pointed him in the direction of Hummingbird Lane. As we were driving along the road, he frowned a little, "I see what you mean, you really do live in the middle of nowhere don't you?"

"Yeah, but I like it that way. Especially now I have my little gift. It gets tiring being too close to other people all the time, because I have to work on shielding their thoughts. That's part of the reason why it's so relaxing being with you – I can't hear you, so I don't need to shield." I pointed him in the direction of my driveway, then grimaced, "I should warn you, my driveway's a bit on the bumpy side. It's the first thing I'm going to get done now that I have my money."

Eric nodded to show that he'd heard me, and gave the road ahead his full concentration. As he drove down my driveway, he worked hard to avoid all of the potholes, but inevitably he hit some. He missed a lot more than I usually did though. He pulled up around the back of the house as I'd indicated to him, and I was about to get out of the car when he put his hand on my wrist, "Wait here."

He disappeared from the car and round the corner of the house, so I undid my seatbelt and listened with my telepathy to see if I could hear anything. A minute later, Eric was back at the car, opening my door. "There's no one here."

"I know – I can't hear anyone." I replied with a grin. Before I could say anything else, his lips crashed into mine. He lifted me up, so that he didn't have to bend down, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our tongues were battling for dominance, and Eric's fangs had run down. I could feel his excitement through his leather trousers, and once again, it was doing wonders for me. He started kissing down my neck to allow me to breathe and I whispered "Let's go inside."

He carried me up the steps to the back porch, then stopped at the door. I dug around my purse for my keys and unlocked the door, but still Eric didn't move. I looked at him questioningly and he whispered, "You have to invite me in, lover."

"Oh, right. Sorry! Eric, will you please come in?" I stammered.

He smiled at me before planting a kiss on the end of my nose, "I'd love to!" He set me down, and I grabbed his hand to show him around the house. I walked around slowly to let him take things in, and cringed internally when he stopped to look at a montage of photos of my childhood that I had on the wall. There were pictures of me as a baby all through to my teenage years, some of Jason, and quite a few of me, Pam and Amelia, including one of us dressed as vampires for Halloween in our sophomore year, not long after we'd become blood sisters.

Now that I knew vampires were real, and especially now that I was dating one (I did a little internal happy dance at that thought), and Pam was one, that photograph was particularly embarrassing. I tried to tug Eric away from the pictures before he noticed it, but I was too late. "You would make an excellent vampire, lover!" He laughed.

"Yeah, right!" I sniggered. "I couldn't talk without a lisp with those damned fangs in. That would make me sound real tough, wouldn't it?"

"You get used to it after a while – everyone struggles with them at first, but you learn to talk around them." He said seriously, then laughed at the look on my face.

"I love the sound of your laugh."

Eric seemed surprised at the compliment, and smiled at me, "Oh really, I can think of something I like even more than yours." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Yeah? What's that?" I asked

"The sound of you screaming my name when I pleasure you." He smirked as he pulled me into his arms for another soul searing kiss. A girl could get used to this.

I wrapped my legs around his waist again, and he held me up with one hand under my backside, while the other tangled into my hair. He tugged gently on my hair, and pulled my head to one side so that he could gain access to my neck. He licked and kissed his way up and down my neck a couple of times before sucking and nibbling on a spot just below my ear. I moaned at the sensation and I could feel him smiling against my neck. I could feel his fangs scraping a little further down, where my neck and my shoulder met, and I whispered "bite me." I know it sounds odd, but I really wanted to feel him biting into my neck. I hadn't felt it last night, and I just knew that it was going to be something sensual rather than something painful. I knew that it could be painful, but I also knew that Eric wouldn't harm me.

He sank his fangs into my neck, and I closed my eyes at the sensation. It hurt, but it was a nice kind of pain. I could feel him sucking my blood, but it didn't feel like he was sucking the life out of me, more like I was giving him something. "Mmmm" I moaned again.

He withdrew his fangs, then licked the small puncture wounds closed. "Delicious!" he murmured.

I giggled "Do I taste good, Eric?"

"Like you wouldn't believe!" He grinned. "I wonder what other parts of you would taste like, Sookie." He had a predatory look in his eye.

"Erm…" I wasn't sure if I was ready for what I thought he was suggesting. After all, we hadn't actually had a date. Sure, we reached third base last night, but was I ready?

Eric sensed my hesitation, "Don't worry, lover, we won't do anything you're not ready for, I just want to give you pleasure." He spoke so tenderly, I couldn't help but relax into his arms. He brought his lips back to mine, and I was right back in the moment. He carried me over to the sofa, and laid me down. He lay on top of me, but rested his weight on his arms, so that he didn't crush me. We lay like that for a while, making out like teenagers when suddenly he moved down my body. He sat back on his heels and pulled off my new boots, kissing the inside of my ankles as he did so.

He started rubbing circles into my legs, moving slowly up towards my knees. When he reached my knees, he gently pulled them up and spread them apart, then leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on the inside of each thigh. He continued to massage and kiss up one leg, then when he got close to where I really needed him, he stopped then started back at my other knee. By the time he reached the top of my second thigh, my legs were shaking in anticipation.

I shifted a little to allow him to move my dress up to my waist, and he looked up into my eyes. The look on his face was so intense, I almost came from that look alone. "I want to taste you, Sookie." He asked softly. "May I taste you?" I'd lost the power of speech by then, so I just nodded. He smiled then dipped his head back to my legs, and continued kissing and nibbling the insides of my thighs. Just when I thought I couldn't take it any more, he slipped his fingers into my panties and started to rub slow circles around my nub.

I squealed when he tore away my panties with one hand, but I was lost to the sensation when he slipped his tongue into my folds. I could feel him enter his tongue into my centre, and almost blacked out at the sensation. No one had ever done this to me before, and I was entering new territory. I thought that the sensations of his mouth and fingers working together couldn't get any better until his tongue slid up my folds towards my nub, and his tongue replaced his finger. He started pumping two fingers in and out of my centre, and was alternating between using the tip of his tongue to tickle my nub, and using the flat of his tongue to lap my folds.

My moaning and groaning was getting louder when he stopped what he was doing with his mouth and said, "Watch me lover." My eyes were glued to his as he went back to his ministrations. This time, he was working his fingers in time with his tongue, and this, combined with the intense look in his eyes brought me right to the edge. One gentle nibble on my nub was all it took to send me over, screaming his name.

I was still suffering from aftershocks from the orgasm that had ripped through my body, when he lay back on top of me and kissed me silly. I could taste myself on his lips, but it didn't bother me. In fact, it kinda turned me on.

I was feeling a little bold, and a little selfish because Eric had given me a couple of mind-blowing orgasms, and I had yet to do anything for him, so I let my hands wonder round his body, and tugged his shirt over his head. Just as last night, my breath was taken away at the beauty of a shirtless Eric, but tonight, I was a girl on a mission. I pushed his chest so that he sat up, then I straddled his lap. I kissed him for a good long while, letting my tongue explore his mouth, then I pulled away and started to kiss down his jaw line. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but the noises that Eric was making told me that I was doing something right.

I kissed my way down his neck then down his chest. I paid special attention to his nipples, and smiled at his groan when I nibbled them. While I was working on his nipples, my hands were working on his belt. When he realised what I was doing, he raised his eyebrows in question. I whispered, "Trust me." and he smiled then let his head drop back as I reached my hands into his trousers. He wasn't wearing any boxers so I got straight to the Promised Land as soon as I reached into his trousers.

I closed my fingers around his shaft, and started to move my hand up and down. Eric groaned again. I kissed him again, and he wrapped his hands into my hair to pull me closer. All the while we were kissing, my hand was moving up and down his length. I used my thumb to rub gently over the tip to spread the moisture that was gathering there. We kissed like that for a little while longer; but then I began to feel really bold. I started working my way down his body again.

I sank to my knees on the floor so that I could get better access, then I wrapped my lips around the tip of his engorged length. Eric's hips rocked up towards me, and I moaned at the feeling of being in complete control. I guess he must have liked that, because he hissed, "Fuck, Sookie, that's good!"

I gently dipped my tongue into the opening on the end, then licked the underside a couple of times before wrapping my lips around the tip again. I still had my hand wrapped around, working it up and down, but I decided to see how else I could get him to react, so I started moving my mouth up and down, taking more of his length into my mouth as I moved. His hand wrapped into my hair, and I worried that he would try to push me down further than I could take, but he just gently guided me up and down at a speed that he liked.

His hips were rocking faster and faster, so I sped up my hand and mouth to match his speed. I heard him say, "Sookie, I'm going to cum if you keep that up." I smiled around his length, and redoubled my efforts. Before long, he stiffened, and bellowed out my name as his seed streamed into my mouth. I swallowed everything he had to offer me, and licked slowly around the tip to clean him up, then he pulled me back up onto his lap.

"Sookie, that was phenomenal!" He panted, then kissed me again.

"I did OK?" I asked shyly.

He grinned lazily at me "What do you think, lover?"

I smiled back, "Judging by the look on your face, I think I did!"

We kissed lazily for a while, but I was starting to get tired. I couldn't stifle my yawn as I snuggled into his neck. "Come, let me get you to bed, you're exhausted." He said gently as he lifted me back up.

He carried me along to my bedroom, and set me on the floor just inside the room. I grabbed a pretty lace nightgown out of my dresser. I nipped into the bathroom to change and brushed my teeth, after asking him to wait for me. When I finished up in the bathroom, I stepped back in my bedroom, and my breath caught at the sight of Eric lying in my bed. He was lying on his side with his head propped on his right arm, with his left arm raised in front of him, inviting me to snuggle up with him. I couldn't resist, and practically ran across the room to jump onto the bed.

He laughed as he wrapped his arm around me and said, "Did you miss me, my lover?"

I giggled and replied, "Like you wouldn't believe!" I yawned again and asked, "Stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course, my love." He whispered, as he kissed my forehead. "Sleep well."

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Time After Time : http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=l9LBKh3SzhM&NR=1&feature=fvwp


	18. Chapter 18 Home Improvements

I'm back! Happy Easter to all who celebrate it, and for those who don't - happy Saturday! I'm enjoying my time off work, and am using the time wisely to sit in the conservatory and get some more writing done. I'm on the home straight with BoB (which I reckon will be around 40 chapters long), and have started writing an AH story, but I'm going to concentrate on getting BoB finished before I do anything with my next one - I can't concentrate on too many things at once :-)

As always, thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy** and **Claire**, who have been a tremendous encouragement to write this story, and big hugs to my beta, **GaijinVamp**, who has taken time out of her holiday to check through this chapter.

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Eighteen – Home Improvements **

My alarm woke me at nine the following morning. I groaned and fumbled around trying to turn off the obnoxious beeping. I've tried using the radio to wake me up, but found that music just didn't work, so my alarm was set to a loud beep which always did the trick. It took me a second or two to realise that I hadn't set my alarm last night when I went to bed – I'd been too keen to jump into the arms of the man that I was falling for pretty hard and fast.

That thought made me stop in my tracks. Eric and I had only been together for a couple of days, but I was feeling things for him that I'd never felt for Bill. I had also done things with him that I'd done with no-one else.

I grinned as I thought about last night. We'd have to slow down, or I'd be having sex with him by next week. But that thought didn't bother me as much as it had when I'd been with Bill. Maybe, deep down, I'd known that it wasn't going to last with Bill, and I'd been protecting myself from worse heartbreak than I'd had.

I wasn't sure if I was ready to let my heart go with Eric yet though. Sure, he was sweet to me, and gentle, and all the other things a man should be for his woman, but he was a vampire, and by his very nature, he could be violent and dangerous. I thought about that for a while before concluding that so long as he never threatened me, or was violent towards me I could cope with all of that.

Remembering the note he'd left for me yesterday, I stretched my left arm out to the pillow that he'd used to see if he'd left me one this morning. Sure enough, there was a folded piece of paper on the pillow.

_My beautiful girlfriend, _

_I found it very difficult to leave your bed this morning. Seeing the way that your smile crossed your face as you were dreaming made me want to wake you and ask if it was me you were dreaming of. _

_I have gone to ground nearby so that I can be with you as soon as darkness falls. Tonight, we must speak with Sam regarding your personal safety and then I must put in an appearance at my club. _

_I have set your alarm for 9 o'clock as Alcide Herveaux, a local Were who owes me a favour, will be coming to assess the security in your home at 10. I have asked him to begin work immediately, as your safety is paramount to me. _

_Please be careful, and don't open the door to just anyone today. Alcide is a stocky man with black wavy hair and green eyes, but ask for ID before you allow him into your home. Unlike vampires, __Weres__ are able to enter a home without an express invitation, so please be cautious._

_Don't forget to contact Claudine to see if there's anything that she can help you with, and remember that Amelia will be along this afternoon to place wards on your home. _

_Stay safe, my love, and I will see you at first dark. _

_Yours,_

_Eric _

_xx _

I giggled at the way he'd signed his note. I supposed that that meant that I was his woman. Surprisingly, that thought wasn't as off-putting as the thought of being 'owned' had been the night before last when we'd talked about it. Eric was beginning to own my heart and soul.

I looked at the clock and realised I'd spent the last fifteen minutes daydreaming, and now I only had forty five minutes to get ready before this Alcide fellow arrived. I jumped out of bed and headed to the bathroom to shower. While I washed my hair, I thought about how I've felt the last couple of mornings waking up alone after falling asleep in Eric's arms, and I decided to look into getting a light tight place built in my house so that he could stay here during the day if he chose to. I know it was very early on in our relationship to be thinking about that, but I figured it would also be good for Pam to be able to stay here too.

I got out of the shower and wrapped my hair in a towel, then threw on a robe after towelling off. While I brushed my teeth, I looked in the mirror and suddenly remembered Eric biting me last night. I looked at my neck, and was surprised to find that there were no fang marks, but I did have a small bruise just below my ear. I wondered how I had gotten that until I remembered him nibbling and sucking in that area after he'd looked at the pictures on the wall.

I'd always hated seeing love bites on other people, and never thought I'd be the type to sport one of my own, but here I was. I'd have to speak with Eric about that tonight – I didn't mind him me marking me so much, it was more that he'd done it in a place that I couldn't hide it easily. It was too high up my neck to cover with clothes, so I would have to try to cover it with makeup. I set to work, and when I was satisfied with the result I went back to my bedroom to dress in yoga pants and a t-shirt.

I was in the kitchen enjoying my second cup of coffee when I heard a knock at the door. I got up and checked through the peep-hole. The man I saw on the porch matched Eric's description, but I remembered his advice and only opened the door a small way, keeping my body behind it in case I needed to use my weight to get it shut again. Eric's blood had made me stronger, but I could tell from this man's mind that he was a Were, and would be stronger. His thoughts were all snarly, and difficult to read.

My fingers brushed his when he handed me his ID and I latched onto a trail of thoughts. He was thinking about how good I looked, and that it was a shame I was with Eric. He could smell Eric on me, and had seen his car out back, so he knew that I was with him, and that he'd be nearby today. He was also thinking that Eric was firm but fair, but that he could be ruthless if things weren't done to the standards he expected. But that he wasn't worried, because he knew the quality of his work would stand up to Eric's scrutiny.

Hearing that made me feel a lot more confident and I handed him his ID back before opening the door wider and inviting him in. "Sorry about that," I said, "We've been having a bit of trouble, and you can't be too careful."

"I understand." He replied kindly, "Eric told me a bit about what was happening, and said that you needed some security at your home to help keep you safe, especially during the day when he's not around."

"That's right. I wanted to get some work done on the house anyway, so now seems like an ideal time to upgrade the security too."

"OK, let's sit down and discuss what you want done." He said as I showed him into the living room and gestured for him to sit.

"Do you want a drink of anything? I have a pot of coffee ready, or there's soda, or iced tea." He asked for a cup of coffee, so I went into the kitchen to fetch him one, and topped up my own. I put a few cookies onto a plate, then set the plate and the cups on a tray and took it into the living room. I set the tray on the coffee table and picked my own cup up before sitting on the recliner. "So, what kind of work do you do, Alcide?" I asked.

"I run the security arm of the construction firm that my father owns, but I do some building work too," he replied.

"Oh, good. Maybe you can help me out with some of the other stuff I want done."

"What kind of things are you wanting done?" he asked.

We talked for a while about what work I wanted done in the house, starting with the driveway. I told him that I was thinking about getting it paved, but he recommended just getting it re-gravelled, because from a security perspective it was better, because at least with gravel I would be able to hear as cars approached the house.

I also asked him about changing the windows, since the ones I had were single glazed and not very heat efficient in the winter, and enclosing my back porch. He nodded at each of my requests and said that they would help improve the security in my house. He also suggested that he install a CCTV system, and an alarm that would be linked to his company, so that if it was activated, they would contact the police.

We started walking around the house so that Alcide could see exactly what work needed to be done, and when we went upstairs, I told him, "I never actually come up here – there's only me, so I keep the upstairs closed off, but I was thinking I might convert it into somewhere where Eric can stay and convert one of the bedrooms into a bathroom so that if I'm up there with him, I don't have to go downstairs."

"Yeah, we can do that, but you might want to install some air conditioning up here, because I'd imagine that it will get pretty hot up here in the middle of the summer."

"It does! But it also gets really cold in the winter, which is why I keep it shut off."

"That's probably your tin roof – if you had normal tiles, you wouldn't get such huge variations in the temperature."

"Yeah, I'll think about getting them changed."

"OK, so we're looking at a new driveway, new windows, air conditioners, enclosing your back porch, CCTV, Alarm, and a light tight space?"

"Sounds right."

"I know that Eric wanted me to get started straight away on the security, and I've got some stuff with me to start with the alarm and CCTV, so I'll get started on those straight away. I'll call in an order for the gravel through too, so they should be able to get started this afternoon, and finish up tomorrow."

"That's fantastic!" I was really pleased. "Can you do me a favour though?"

"Anything." He replied quickly.

"Will you not tell Eric about the light tight suite upstairs? I want to surprise him." I asked.

"No problem. It shouldn't actually take too long to do – It should be finished by next weekend. Eric's got this going through as a rush job."

"Excellent, thank you." He smiled at me, then told me that he was going to get started on the security, and that he'd call the order through for the gravel straight away.

A few minutes later, he came back into the house and told me that the first load of gravel would be arriving at two that afternoon. I realised that Amelia would be coming around then to set up the wards, so I asked, "Alcide, the people who are coming to do the gravel, are they Weres?"

He looked confused, "Yeah, why?"

"I have a friend coming this afternoon to set up wards on the house – I just didn't want her to come while there were people here that wouldn't understand." I explained.

"Sookie, you must be in some real trouble if you're getting a witch to set up wards, and getting security systems installed here as a matter of urgency."

I figured that Eric must trust this guy since he was here, so I replied "Yeah, I am. I found out about something some vamp called Victor Madden was doing, and told Eric about it. Eric went to his boss and told her, and now Victor is gunning for Eric. Eric thinks he might try to get to him through me. That's why the Eric's got you putting security in. He's also getting me a bodyguard until the situation is resolved."

"Shit, that's not good, you must be terrified," he sympathised.

"Yeah. It's not a great day when you don't feel safe going about your day to day life. I've just started dating Eric, and it feels like we have to hide it to keep it safe."

"Well, if you ever need anyone to look after you during the day, you let me know," he offered. "I'd better get this lot done so you can feel safe. I'll come and get you when I'm done."

While Alcide was working on the wiring and things for the alarm and CCTV, I decided to work out in the front yard. I figured that since Alcide was here, I should be safe enough. I worked my way around the yard pulling up weeds and generally tidying up. I wanted the front of the house to look good when I got my new driveway. At about one o'clock, I went back into the house to wash up and make lunch. I made some sandwiches and chips for Alcide, and took them out to him, along with a can of soda from the fridge. I sat out in the back yard with him to eat lunch, and we chatted about all sorts of things – my job, the weather, what we thought about the vampires coming out; until we heard tyres on the driveway.

Amelia's car pulled round to the back of the house, and I jumped up to greet her. I introduced her to Alcide, who shook her hand, then took off to carry on with the work he was doing. Amelia was getting her stuff out of her car, when I explained that the gravel truck would be along at any minute to fix the driveway. She looked a bit nervous so I said, "Don't worry, they're all Weres"

"Oh, that's good – this is going to take a while to do, and I don't want to be out here in the dark doing it. I need to get set up, so I'm going to go into the kitchen first, just to get my stuff sorted out, then I'll be coming out here to work around the house. I'll try to keep out of their way." With that she disappeared through the back door into the kitchen.

I didn't want to get in her way, so I took the lunch dishes into the kitchen and set them on the counter top to wash later, then went to sit in the living room to read. I was just getting into my book when I heard the sound of the gravel truck reversing down the driveway. I jumped up to watch what they were doing, but soon got bored so went back to my book.

About twenty minutes later, Amelia called through to say that I needed to move the cars. I quickly moved my own car onto a freshly gravelled area of the driveway, but I was nervous about moving Eric's car since I'd never driven it before. Alcide was at the top of a ladder fixing a camera to the wall, and he saw me hesitate over it. "Do you want me to move it, Sookie?"

"Would you mind? I've never driven it before, and I'm scared I'll scratch it or something." I said, embarrassed at having to ask a man to move the car for me.

He quickly came down the ladder then moved the car for me. Then went straight back to work as soon as he'd moved the car, and I was grateful for him not saying anything about me asking him to move the car.

After they'd finished around the back of the house, Amelia went out the back with a bag of herbs and salt. She started chanting and throwing the contents of the bag out like a flower girl at a wedding. She gradually made her way around the house, chanting and throwing the stuff from the bag. About ten minutes later she came back in and said "OK, that's the first part done. I've got some preparation to do for the second part, and I'll need you to come through to the kitchen in a while to give me a couple of drops of your blood to complete the spell."

"OK, just tell me when you need me."

I sat back down with my book, and about an hour and a half later, there was a knock at the front door. It was one of the Weres who had been gravelling my driveway. "We're all done here, so we're on our way. Just wanted you to know that we were finished for the day, and we'll be back early tomorrow morning to finish off."

I looked past him to check out my new driveway – it looked wonderful. I could see that it was smooth almost all the way down to the road, and they'd even edged it. I couldn't believe how fast they'd worked.

"It looks fantastic – thank you!"

"No problem, Ma'am." He replied politely, then shook my hand and trotted off towards his truck.

Not five minutes after they'd gone, Amelia called me into the kitchen. "I need a couple of drops of your blood in here." She indicated a pot of something that she had heating on the stove. She grabbed my hand and stuck a pin into the end of my finger before squeezing it so that the blood dripped into the pot.

The pot started smoking, and Amelia put a lid on it, then picked it up and started walking through the house with it. I followed her round, and watched as she lifted the lid and allowed a small amount of the smoke out of the pot in each room. Once she'd been in every room, including the attic, we went back into the living room. "Well, that's done!" she said cheerfully. "The only people who will be allowed in the house are people who you allow in. Eric probably will be able to come in without an invitation since you've had his blood, so there would have been a really small amount of his in the potion that we used. I've just got to clean up in the kitchen then I'll be out of your hair."

She disappeared back into the kitchen and I could hear her clattering around as she cleaned up after herself. A few minutes later, she popped her head back into the living room, and told me that she was leaving since she had stuff to do at home. I gave her a quick hug and waved goodbye as she drove off down my lovely new driveway.

I sat back down with my book, and read until the sun started to sink in the sky. I felt a flutter of excitement at the prospect of seeing Eric and realised that I had it bad. The sun was just sinking below the horizon when Alcide came back downstairs. He was explaining to me about the alarm system he'd just installed when Eric came through the door looking slightly dirty in just his leather trousers from the night before.

Eric wrapped his arms around me, and gave me a kiss on the forehead before greeting Alcide. He motioned for Alcide to continue what he was saying. Eric paid attention to everything that Alcide said about the alarm system, and asked a few questions about it before nodding his approval. Alcide double checked that I understood everything before moving on to show us the CCTV system. He'd installed cameras all around the outside of the house, and hooked it up to my TV so that I could see the entire perimeter just by switching channel on the TV. He told us that he'd also set up wiring so that I could watch from the bedroom if I wanted to. He gave me a significant look when he said that, so I guessed he meant that he'd set it up in what would be my new light tight suite upstairs. I thanked him, and he smiled, saying, "No problem, Sookie."

Alcide left soon afterwards, and Eric and I were left alone. I had to work hard not to jump him, because even though he was covered in dirt, he didn't have his shirt on, and he looked magnificent! I wrapped my arms around his neck, and gave him a quick peck on the lips before saying "Good morning, Eric!"

He chuckled, "Good morning, my lover. I see you've had a busy day," before his lips crashed into my own. He swept his tongue across my lips and I parted them to allow him access. He was plundering my mouth with his tongue when I decided to try something different. I ran my tongue down his fang, and deliberately let it be pierced. .I could tell the moment he tasted my blood because he moaned into my mouth, and pulled me closer to him. After a couple of minutes more, he pulled away saying, "much though I'd like to continue this, lover, I need to take a shower."

"You do look a bit…filthy," I grinned up at him. "How did you get so dirty?"

"When I said I was going to ground nearby, I meant it."

Realisation dawned on me. "Oh, Eric, you didn't need to do that! You should have gone home."

"I didn't want to – I wanted to be near to you so that we could go to see Sam together tonight before I left for Fangtasia. I keep a change of clothes in the car in case I can't make it home, so I'll take a quick shower and get dressed, then we'll go out." He went out to the car to get his clothes, then used the shower in my en-suite bathroom.

While he was in the shower, I changed into some skin-tight jeans and a light blue tank top. I was in my closet looking for a pair of shoes when Eric stepped out of the bathroom. I turned to see him and found that he had put on a pair of jeans, and had a towel draped over his shoulders, but there was still water running down his chest, and his hair was tied in a loose knot at the nape of his neck.

He grinned when he caught me staring open mouthed at him, "See something you like, lover?"

"Mmmhmm" I moaned, unable to string two words together.

He chuckled and turned back into the bathroom to finish drying off. When he came back in, I'd managed to locate the wedge sandals I had been looking for and I was just stepping into them. He'd put a black t-shirt on with the Fangtasia logo on the front and in white writing on the back it said 'the bar with bite'. Although I was disappointed he'd covered himself up, I was still pleased with the results.

"Lover, you look good enough to eat, but we have to go." He winked as he grabbed my hand and towed me towards the back door.

"Not yet!" I called, stopping him in his tracks.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"This." I said, pointing to my neck. "I don't mind you marking me, but can you do it somewhere that's easier to hide next time?"

"Lover, even with my eyesight, you can't see it under your makeup. My blood will heal it soon."

"That's not the point, Eric."

"I know, and I apologise. Next time I mark you, it'll be on your luscious breasts, or somewhere else where only I can see it." He waggled his eyebrows and let his hands roam over the places where he'd like to mark me.

I laughed. "OK! Come on, let's go."


	19. Chapter 19 Scare

Hi everyone! Thanks for putting up with me, and I hope you're still with me and enjoying BoB...

I'm so sorry for the delay in posting, but I've been taking a bit of a break, and trying to get some more of Blood on Blood written before what I have on FF has caught up with what I have written. I do publish my chapters on my blog as soon as they're finished, but I'm not happy enough with my blog yet to publish it. So, if anyone has experience at writing on blogs, who would be willing to give me hand to get it set up in such a way that would stand up to public scrutiny, please send me a PM.

This chapter is un-beta'd, so any mistakes are all mine, but as always, my thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy **and **Claire** - love you girls xx

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Nineteen – Scare**

Eric and I walked hand in hand into Merlotte's. I could see Arlene's eyes practically bug out of her head when she saw that I was holding hands with him. I was glad I'd re-enforced my shields before I came in, because I'm sure that the sight of me holding hands with a man, let alone a man as good-looking as Eric would have set a lot of mental tongues wagging.

I smiled a sly grin at Arlene, and Holly who was also waitressing tonight, then walked over to the bar to speak with Sam. "Hey Sam, can we have a word with you in private?" I asked.

He looked up and noticed mine and Eric's interlocked hands. His eyes also widened a bit, but he managed to control it before saying, "Sure, Sookie, let me just get Terry to cover the bar a minute, and we'll go out back to my office."

He called out to Terry, who was sitting in a booth nursing what I knew would be his only beer that night, and asked him to cover the bar while he was out back He waited for Terry to get behind the bar before stepping out from behind it himself. He gestured to his right towards the corridor that housed the toilets and his office, then followed as I led the way to his office.

When we got into his office, he invited us to sit, then, as he shut the door, he asked, "What can I do for you, Sook?"

I answered, "I presume you know my boyfriend, Eric Northman?"

He nodded, and said "Eric" in greeting. Eric returned the nod and name thing – why do men greet each other like that?

"We're here to ask a favour," I continued.

Sam looked a little apprehensive, "What's up?"

"Sookie and I have a bit of a problem, and find ourselves in need of your assistance," Eric told him, "I am being targeted by a vampire by the name of Victor Madden, and I have reason to believe that he may attempt to use Sookie to get to me."

"So, what can I do?" asked Sam.

"I, erm, know about you, Sam," I said hesitantly, "Eric explained, and suggested you may be able to help. We think that Madden may use Weres during the day to come after me when Eric's… not around." Sam looked shocked that I knew so much about the supernatural world, so I continued, "I'm not all I seem, Sam." I looked at Eric for support and he nodded almost imperceptibly to me to continue. I took a deep breath then told him, "I'm part fairy, Sam. That's why I collapsed a few weeks ago. Fairies come into their powers when they reach the age of twenty five. I was twenty five two days ago."

He looked as though he was about to say something, but I interrupted before he could start. "There's more. Please understand me when I say that it is critical that you don't repeat what I'm about to say to you. It could leave me in a situation that I _really_ don't want to be in."

I waited for him to acknowledge me before I continued, "I collapsed because of a headache that I'd been suffering for a few weeks." He nodded, "That headache wasn't caused by a sudden increase in sensitivity to noise like I told you. Well, not exactly anyway. It was caused by a sudden ability to read the thoughts of people around me, and I just didn't know how to control it. The noise of the thoughts in my head was deafening, so my mind kinda shut down to protect itself."

"You can hear thoughts?" he asked incredulously.

"Most people's, yeah. But I try not to listen if I can help it. I don't want to know other people's business," I replied.

"Can you hear my thoughts?"

"Not really. Shifters and Weres are really kinda snarly to me – like a radio that's not quite tuned in right. All I can really get from you is what you're feeling, like the tone of your thoughts rather than the thoughts themselves. If I touched you, your thoughts would probably come in clearer, but like I say, I try not to listen."

He looked relieved at that, and Eric piped up with, "And before you ask, no, she can't hear my thoughts either – vampires are silent to her."

"Thank God," Sam whispered.

"I see you understand the importance of keeping this between ourselves, Sam. If word about this gets out to anyone, Sookie will be under an even more serious threat than she is currently. Madden does not know about her abilities, and I want to keep it that way."

"My lips are sealed. So, how can I help you with this Madden situation?"

"Obviously, I cannot be with Sookie during the day, and I believe that that is when Madden is most likely to attempt anything with regards to Sookie. I believe he will use Weres to harm her in some way, and I would like you to help protect her," answered Eric. "I will be hiring a Were bodyguard for Sookie when she is out of her home, but she wants to live her life as normally as she can. I would ask you to keep an eye on her when she is at work in case anything happens whilst she's here."

"I would do that anyway, without you asking." Eric raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't say anything.

The two men regarded each other in silence for a minute or so, then Eric spoke again, "I am trusting you with my woman's life. Sam. Please don't make me regret that."

"I won't," replied Sam.

"Excellent. Now, we must be going, we have other matters to attend to tonight," said Eric as he stood and reached out a hand to help me stand.

"Thanks, Sam. I'll see you tomorrow night," I added as we walked out of the office.

We stopped in the bar and had a drink before leaving. Eric drove me home, and before he left for Fangtasia I gave him a key for my back door in case he needed it. He was my boyfriend after all, and kept later hours than I did. There was a possibility that he may decide to call on my late at night after I'd locked the doors. I kissed him goodnight and watched as he got in the car and drove towards the main road and out of sight.

oOo

The next few days passed quickly. Eric had employed Alcide as my bodyguard as he was the only other shifter that lived locally that Eric knew well trusted. Alcide was working on my house anyway, so it made sense for him to be the one to be looking after me. I spent a lot of time around the house, trying to keep on top of the dust that was being generated by the work that was being done, and working on my set list for Fangtasia. I knew the music style there was a lot different from what people liked in Merlotte's, and I was struggling to find songs that I would be comfortable singing, but that would fit in with Fangtasia's image.

I hadn't seen Eric, but we'd spoken on the phone every night. I'd bought myself a cell phone, which I could now afford since I had my trust fund, and what I earned at the bar wasn't being used to keep my head above water financially, so we sent a lot of flirty texts to one another throughout the evening, and we usually spoke for at least half an hour before I went to bed. We didn't talk about anything heavy, but we did use the time to get to know one another better. I felt like we were becoming a real couple.

I was back to working every day, so the rest of my time was spent at work, where Sam watched over me. The only time I was truly alone was on my way to and from work.

One day, after I'd finished the lunch shift, I decided to call into the grocery store to stock up on some things that had been running low. I'd been a bit too worried to leave the house for anything other than work, but I was getting desperate for coffee and some other things, so I took the chance. While I was walking around the grocery store, I had the feeling that someone was watching me, but when I turned to investigate, there was no-one there. I put it down to paranoia and continued on my way, but when I was on my way home, I got that feeling again. There was no car behind me, but my instinct told me that I was being followed.

I flipped open my cell phone and dialled Alcide. He answered within two rings, "Hi Sookie, what's up?"

"Hey Alcide. I'm in the car on the way home, and I'm getting the feeling I'm being followed. There's nothing behind me, so maybe I'm being paranoid, but I thought I'd ring you anyway," I rambled nervously.

"Where are you?" he asked, suddenly serious.

"I'm on Hummingbird Lane heading towards the house."

"OK, I want you to keep going. Don't turn into your house. Turn the car around and head back to Merlotte's. I'll call Sam and tell him what's going on, and I'll meet you there in ten minutes," he said before hanging up.

I was really scared now, but I did as Alcide advised. I drove past my own driveway, and turned into the driveway at the old Compton house. Bill had moved to Seattle with Lorena, and when his father had died, the house had been left empty. I turned the car around, and sped back towards Merlotte's. I pulled into the employee lot, and walked back through the back door.

Sam was waiting for me with a look of concern on his face, when I arrived, "You OK, Sookie?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little freaked out. I went to the store after work, and felt like I was being followed, but when I turned to check, there was no-one there. I got into the car to go home, and I got that feeling again, but again, there was no-one around. I'm probably just being paranoid Sam. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop for the past week."

"In your situation, paranoia is not a bad thing, Sookie. So long as you don't let it rule your life, it's good to be wary," he reassured me.

"I know, it's just so stressful," I complained. He wrapped me in a bear hug, so I gave him a quick squeeze, then he released me. He led me out to the bar and sat me on a stool, then poured me a gin and tonic to help settle my nerves.

I was slowly sipping my drink when Alcide arrived a few minutes later. I quietly repeated my story to him, and he exchanged a look with Sam. "Come on, Sookie, finish your drink. I'm going to take you home. It's the safest place for you at the minute."

"What about my car?"

"I'll bring it back to you later. I could do with a run anyway," said Sam. I had a feeling he didn't mean that he was going to go jogging.

"Thanks Sam." I responded, handing him my key.

Alcide drove me home, and I spent the next few hours with him in the light tight suite, painting. The suite was almost finished, and the bed that I'd ordered had been delivered yesterday, so all we really needed to do was to finish up painting, and put the bed together. I'd chosen a California King bed because Eric is so tall and I wanted him to feel comfortable. I just hoped he liked what I'd done.

Alcide had done a fantastic job – he'd converted the whole of the upstairs into a light tight suite with some extra security for when Eric did stay. There had been three bedrooms up here, so he'd converted the largest one into the room that Eric and I would use and the smallest one into a guest room in case Pam wanted to stay. The third room, he'd divided into two, with the largest part being a bathroom with a huge shower and a Jacuzzi tub, twin sinks and a toilet, and the smallest part being a walk-in closet.

When we'd finished the painting, Alcide and I put the bed together, and he helped me make it up with the new duvet and covers that I'd bought to match the paint I'd bought. The bed was a dark mahogany colour, and I'd chosen a deep blood red to paint the wall behind the bed, with the rest of the room being a cool cream colour. The bedding that I'd chosen was the same cool cream as the walls, but with a thick, deep red stripe towards the foot of the bed.

I decided that I liked this room so much, I was going to move into this room permanently, and not just when Eric stayed, so I started lugging my clothes up the stairs. Alcide helped by carrying the clothes that were on hangers, and hanging them in my new walk-in closet. In about an hour, we'd finished moving all of my stuff upstairs, and I'd put everything away in its new home. It was getting dark now, so Alcide left for the day, and I gave Eric a call to tell him what had happened that day.

As soon as I told Eric what had happened, he told me that he was coming to see me.

With the way that Eric drove, I knew I had about half an hour to finish up, so I gathered my things from my en-suite bathroom, and took them upstairs to place in the new bathroom. Once I'd finished, I rushed downstairs, and made myself a quick sandwich. I realised that I hadn't eaten all day, and I was quite hungry, but too nervous to eat much more.

Eric arrived while I was finishing up, and I stood to get a bottle of True Blood out of the fridge. When I stood, he wrapped his arms around me and gave me a huge kiss. "I've missed you, lover. You've had a scare today?"

"I've missed you too, Eric," I smiled as I returned his kiss. "And, yes – I've been a bit freaked out today." I heated him a bottle of True Blood, and sat on his lap at the kitchen table. We talked about what had happened for a while, and once we'd exhausted the topic, I whispered, "I've got something to show you." I gave him a kiss on the nose, then stood and grabbed his hand.

I dragged him up the stairs and stood at the top, where the door normally secured by a keypad lock stood open. I watched his face as he took in the keypad, then stepped into the suite to look around. I'd kept the bathroom door and our bedroom door open, but closed the guest room door. He grinned as he realised that I'd had shutters installed on the windows which meant that the room was totally light tight. "The whole suite is light tight," I told him. "There are two bedrooms up here – one for us and one for Pam if she ever wants to stay, and there's a bathroom and walk-in closet. The door to the suite is actually part of an airlock type of system. The inner door is protected by a key code lock, so that it's secure for you during the day, but there's an outer door, so that if I need to get in or out of the suite during the day, I won't be letting light in."

"You built a room for me to stay in?" he grinned.

"Well, yeah. I realised I didn't much like waking up alone after falling asleep in your arms. I didn't like the thought of you sleeping in the ground, so I got Alcide to build this for me. I've set the codes on the locks, and I've reset all of the alarm codes, so he doesn't know what they are." I handed him a piece of paper with all of the new codes written on it. "Also, you may remember that he mentioned that he'd set up the CCTV so that it could be viewed from the bedroom. He meant up here." I explained as I picked up a remote and pointed at the flat screen TV mounted on the wall at the foot of the bed to turn it to the channel showing the CCTV feeds.

"I'm impressed, Sookie," he wrapped his arms around me again, and pulled me in for a kiss.

"So, you like it?"

"I love it," he replied. "I would love to be able to wake up with you in my arms." The thought made me feel all soft and fuzzy inside.

"You know what I want to do? I haven't tried out the new tub yet. Care to join me?"

I'd barely finished what I was saying before Eric had scooped me up into his arms, and carried me to the new bathroom. He deposited me on the toilet lid before starting the bath. He started stripping his clothes, and slowed down when he realised I was watching him. I realised it was the first time that I'd seen all of him. Sure, I'd seen most of him, but I hadn't seen _all_ of him, and I was quite giddy at the prospect.

He could obviously feel my excitement, because he smirked at me before continuing his slow striptease. He eased his t-shirt over his head, deliberately stretching his arms above his head for longer than he needed as he took his t-shirt off. The way that his muscles moved when he did that was amazing, I'm sure I drooled a bit. He turned his back to me, and slowly took his jeans off. Of course, he'd gone commando (I wasn't actually sure if Eric owned any underwear), so the first thing I saw was his incredible backside. I could have gotten on my knees and worshiped that backside, it was so perfect.

He let his jeans drop to the floor, then bent to test the temperature of the water in the tub before turning the water off. He turned to me with a smile and asked, "Are you bathing with your clothes on, Sookie?"

I shook myself out of my Eric induced daze, and stood to remove my clothes. Eric obviously decided that I wasn't capable of taking my own clothes off, so he stepped over to assist me. He pulled my arms into the air before tugging at the hem of my t-shirt to pull it over my head, but once he'd pulled it half-way over my head so that only the top of my head and my arms were in the t-shirt, he kissed me hard. Because my arms were stuck in my t-shirt and my eyes were covered, it felt really erotic, and I moaned at the feeling.

He reached behind me and undid my bra, then whipped my t-shirt off my arms, quickly followed by my bra, which he flung across the room. He started kissing his way down my body, and pulled my left nipple into his mouth whilst playing with my right with his fingers and thumb. I was panting heavily by the time he switched sides, paying just as much attention to it as he had to the other. Gradually, his hand slid lower until he reached the waistband of my jeans. He made quick work of the fastenings for my jeans, and pushed them down along with my panties, then bent to his knees to remove my socks. He gave each foot a quick kiss before standing back up and taking my hand to help me into the tub.

Once I was in the tub, he stepped in, and we sat at opposite ends with the jets on. He picked up my foot and started to massage it, his hands rubbing in relaxing circles all over my foot and up my calf. He worked on both feet, then, when I was feeling like a big relaxed ball of jello, he stepped out of the tub and bent to pick me up. He wrapped us both in the nice fluffy towels that I had just bought, then carried me to the bedroom.

He pulled back the covers on the bed, and gently laid me down, then pulled the covers over me before getting in on his own side. He pulled me into his arms, and I fell asleep wrapped his arms.


	20. Chapter 20 Date

I'm back! I've decided to try to get back onto my original posting schedule, so I have some motivation to keep going through the episodes of Writer's Block that I'm suffering trying to get the last few chapters written.

I wanted to address a couple of the comments raised in the reviews for the last chapter... I know, I know - I wouldn't have been able to keep from jumping him either, but remember that Sookie is completely inexperienced in all matters sex, and she has been set on saving herself for marriage from a very young age. I'm not saying that she _will_ wait until she's married, but she's got to work up to it... That said, there's a bit of a lemon in this chapter, which I hope you enjoy.

This chapter is un-beta'd, so any mistakes are all mine, but as always, my thanks to my pre-readers, **Tezy **and **Claire** - love you girls xx

**Disclaimer : The characters and locations are not mine - they were created by the fantastic Charlaine Harris.**

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**Chapter Twenty - Date**

When I woke up the next morning, it was pitch black. I was a little disorientated when I realised that my pillow was a lot cooler and firmer than it should have been. I made a conscious effort to force my brain into gear, and was really pleased when I realised that my 'pillow' was actually Eric. I'd woken up lying across his chest with my head on his shoulder, my right arm across his chest, and my legs tangled up with his. He had his right arm wrapped around my shoulder; his left was draped across his stomach with his hand touching my waist.

I lay where I was for a while; just enjoying the feel of his arms around me, but eventually my bladder forced me out of bed. I carefully untangled myself and got out of bed to use the bathroom. I shut the door before turning on the light and stood blinking for a few seconds while my eyes got used to the sudden invasion of light. I took care of business then went back to the bedroom. The illuminated face of the alarm clock told me it was almost noon. I picked up my cell phone off my bedside table, and saw that I had a text message from Alcide.

_Sookie, Eric told me to take the day off. Going 2 work in the office 2day. Txt me when u get this._

I replied to him that I was spending the day in the house, and that he didn't need to come out. I'd wait for Eric to take me in to work.

Next, I rang Sam, "Hey Sam, it's Sookie. I'm just calling to say I'm going to be late coming in this evening," I said when he answered.

"Everything OK?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm still a little freaked about everything, so I'm just going to stay in the house and have Eric bring me in to work tonight. I'll be there at around seven."

He huffed a little before saying, "OK, Sookie. Come in at seven. I'll get someone to cover you until then."

"If it's a problem, I'll come in for six, like I'm supposed to," I said quickly, "but I just feel…"

"It's not a problem, Sookie. You need to stay safe," he interrupted me. "In fact, take the night off. I'd rather you stayed with Eric if you feel that worried."

"Thanks Sam. I'll make it up to whoever covers me, I promise," I vowed before hanging up.

With all my phone calls made for the day, I decided to spend some time cleaning out the bedroom which I'd vacated the day before. I was in the middle of cleaning out the rubbish which had been left in my closet when Claudine popped into the room.

"You know, I still jump every time you do that!" I said as I hugged her hello.

"I know," she laughed, "that's part of the reason I do it!"

I laughed as I gently smacked her on the arm. "It would be great if I could do it," I mused.

"Teleport?" Claudine asked.

"Yeah, I'd imagine it can help you get out of some pretty tricky situations." I mused, thinking that if I knew how to do it, I may be able to keep one step ahead of Victor Madden, and anyone else who he may have sent for me.

"It certainly can," she confirmed. "It's not something that can really be taught though. You can either do it or you can't."

"So how to you do it then?"

"It's sort of a combination of wishing and concentrating really hard," she explained. "You have to picture where you want to be, or the person you want to be with and concentrate on it really hard then kind of wish that you were there. But you either have to already have been to a place, or already know the person you're popping to. You can't just pop to some random person, otherwise I'd be popping over to Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp," she added with a laugh.

"OK, so if I wanted to, say, pop into the kitchen, I would have to concentrate really hard on the kitchen whilst wishing I was there?" I clarified. She nodded in confirmation. "OK. Let me try." I shut my eyes and concentrated. I imagined myself standing in the kitchen and wished myself there. I felt foolish wishing to find myself in the kitchen, and embarrassed to be still standing in the bedroom when I opened my eyes.

Claudine was looking intently at me. "Sookie, you've got to believe in the magic for it to work," she said in a slightly exasperated tone. She sounded like someone out of a Disney film. When she said things like that, I half expected her to sprout gossamer wings and start waving a wand.

I sighed, "It's just a lot for me to take in, Claudine. A few weeks ago, I didn't know that any of this existed, and now I've really got to challenge all the beliefs that I've had, and it's hard."

"I understand. Just keep trying." she said sympathetically.

"What would be the point in that? You said yourself that you can either do it, or you can't. I just tried, and I can't."

"You're only just coming into your powers, Sookie. You may not be able to teleport right now, but you may still develop the ability to do so."

I agreed to keep trying, and we chatted about everything else that had been happening since we'd last seen each other a few days ago. I told her about the feeling I had had yesterday of being followed. She told me that she didn't think that I was being paranoid, and that she'd been feeling a little anxious over the past couple of days, but that she couldn't put her finger on the reason why. We agreed to be extra vigilant until the whole situation with Victor Madden was resolved, and she gave me a quick hug before disappearing.

My stomach rumbled loudly, and I realised that I hadn't eaten since yesterday, so I made myself some lunch and sat at the kitchen table to eat. It was three o'clock, and the sun would be going down at about eight. I had five hours to kill, and I didn't want to disturb Eric upstairs. I didn't feel safe outside, so I decided to work on my Fangtasia set before reading for a while.

At about 7.00, I made my way back up to our bedroom, and stripped off before climbing into bed with Eric. I realised with a start that I was thinking of this as _our_ bedroom, not _mine_. Maybe that was a sign of where I felt my relationship with Eric was going. If I was honest with myself, I had fallen for Eric, and my feelings were only getting stronger with the more time that I spent with him. I sighed and snuggled into him. I let my fingers wonder over his bare chest, and gradually, my hands sank lower down his body. I slipped my hand below the covers at his waist, and wrapped my hand around his length. I glanced up to his face to see that he hadn't been disturbed at all by my explorations. I pumped my hand up and down a couple of times and smiled at the immediate reaction. His face still didn't show any signs that he was aware of what I was doing, so I thought I'd take it a bit further.

I scooted down the bed, and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of his cock, keeping my eyes on his face all the while. Since that didn't get a reaction, I started licking and sucking. What I couldn't fit in my mouth, I wrapped my hand around, and kept up the movement that I had started earlier. Since he was still dead to the world, and not moving, I tried taking more of him into my mouth. I had to pull back a couple of times when I started to gag, but I was gradually able to take his full length into my mouth. I was letting the muscles in my throat do all the work when Eric's eyes shot open.

"Fuck, Sookie!" he groaned, "I could get used to waking up like this." His hand snaked into my hair, and he started slowly and gently guiding my movements. I smiled and hummed at him, watching his face all the while. I could see the strain on his face from the effort of not moving, so I decided to pull back a little, and let my hand do some of the work. Within seconds, Eric was bucking his hips, and I could feel him get impossibly harder. He whispered, "Detta har fått vara den bästa avsugning jag någonsin haft." I gently squeezed his balls, and he exploded into my mouth with a huge roar of my name.

He smirked and pulled me up towards him, and kissed me, despite the fact that I had just had my mouth all over him. "Good morning, lover. That was some wake up cal!."

"Good morning, Eric!" I grinned back at him, "I take it you liked it?"

"Did I like it?" he asked jokingly. "I think that is the first time I've ever been woken by a woman with her mouth around me like that, and I find that I like it _**very**_much. In fact, I think I should show you just how much I liked it," he said before kissing me thoroughly.

When I had to break for breath, Eric made his way down my body, licking and kissing in the same way that I had with him. He kept his eyes on mine as he swept his tongue between my folds. My hips bucked involuntarily, and he laid an arm across my stomach to hold me still. He spoke quietly in a language I didn't understand, "Du smakar så gott min älskare. Jag kunde smaka dig hela natten." He worked his thumb firmly and steadily over my nub while plundering my core with his tongue. He took me close to the edge before backing off so many times I lost count, and I was begging him to let me cum.

My entire body was shaking with pent up pleasure before he finally sank his fangs into my inner thigh, and I screamed as I came with such explosive force, I think I may have blacked out for a few seconds. When I finally came back to reality, Eric was lying above me with a satisfied grin on his face. "I love to hear you scream my name, lover. Especially when you cum so hard you black out," he smirked.

I would have to get him back for that one day. We still hadn't had sex, but neither had we had a proper date, so I decided I would make him wait a little, although I was more than ready for it. I was still feeling aftershocks rippling through my body, and I was as limp as a noodle with the pleasure, but I resolved to make the most of my unexpected time with Eric. "You know, we still haven't had a proper date," I hinted.

Eric looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "You are right, my lover. I feel dismayed that I have already been in your bed three times, and made you cum on numerous occasions, but I haven't yet taken you on a date. We must remedy that immediately." He looked so serious, but there was a mischievious twinkle in his eye that really kind of spoiled the effect. I burst out laughing.

He laughed with me, and I delighted in the sound of his laugh. His laugh felt like home to me – something that should always be there, and that I miss when it's not. My laughter turned into shrieks when he started tickling me. He pinned my hands above my head with his left hand, and tickled me with his right hand. His hand was moving at vampire speed, so I had no chance of avoiding him. He straddled my waist, and showed me no mercy whatsoever. I had tears streaming down my face, and I was gasping for breath before he finally relented and stopped tickling. When I finally had my breath under some semblance of control, I whispered, "I'll get you back for that!"

He raised an eyebrow at me, and asked, "is that a threat, or a promise, lover?"

"Both."

I already had an idea how to get him back, and it made me glad I'd bought a sterdy bed with a slotted headboard. I just hoped he'd play along. "Come on. Let's go take a shower, then go out or something. Sam gave me the night off, and I've been in the house all day – I want to get out for a while."

We took a shower together, and kept our hands to ourselves for the most part, although I'm sure we both found each other to be a lot more dirty than normal since we spent ages washing each other. Of course, there were certain areas that were dirtier than others that needed to have special attention paid to them, and these took a lot of cleaning (and needed cleaning up again once they'd been done the first time), but eventually, we were both clean, so we got out of the shower.

We were both wrapped in towels, and I stepped into my walk in closet where I stood for a few minutes staring at the empty space that was the opposite side of the closet from my clothes. I wondered if Eric's clothes would ever fill that space. I sighed, thinking it was far too soon to be having thoughts like that, but realising at the same time just how much the idea excited me.

Eric stepped into the closet and wrapped his arms around me, "What's wrong, lover?"

"I just can't decide what to wear."

He looked at me disbelievingly, but let it slide, then said, "here, let me choose." He stepped towards the rails and started looking through my clothes. I saw a smile cross his face when he reached my red dress that I'd worn for Fangtasia's opening night. "You looked delicious in that dress.".

He eventually pulled out a purple mini dress which I'd bought, but never worn and still had the tags on. "You've never worn this."

"No. I've never really had the opportunity to wear it. I don't go out much."

"That will change, my lover," he smiled at me.

I smiled back, "Let me get dressed then, and I'll meet you downstairs." I knew he'd have to go out to his car to get his clothes. "You know, maybe you should leave some clothes here," I suggested, "that way, you wouldn't need to go out to the car naked every time you stay!" I laughed.

He chuckled, "yes, I should." His eyes swept round the half-empty closet before he gave me a quick kiss on the forehead then disappeared.

I pulled on a purple thong and matching strapless bra before slipping on the dress. I pinned the front of my hair back, away from my face, and put on a little mascara and lip gloss before stepping into a pair of black high-heeled shoes. I stuffed the lip gloss, my keys and cell phone into a small black purse, then made my way downstairs to meet Eric.

When I reached the living room, Eric was sitting on the sofa, fully clothed, with my laptop on his lap. I remembered that I hadn't closed my session earlier when I'd been trying to decide on some music for my set at Fangtasia. He looked up and said, "You've made some good choices here. I think the audience at Fangtasia will love them."

"I'm just playing round at the moment; I may make some changes yet."

"It looks good as it is, but I will let you decide. It is you that will be singing after all." His eyes swept up and down my body and he smiled, "you look a picture this evening my lover."

"Thanks," I blushed at the compliment. "Now, are we going out, or have you dressed me up to stay in the house all night?"

"It's a very tempting idea, certainly, but I believe I owe you a date. You are my girlfriend after all!" he smiled. He stood and grabbed my hand, and we went out to his car.

He took me out for a meal, and then on to a quiet bar with a singer in the corner and a dance floor. There were very few people there, and it was a small enough place to feel really intimate. It was a fantastic first date, and I told Eric that.

"We will have many more, lover. I hope that we will be together for a long time," he replied.

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**Translations**

Detta har fått vara den bästa avsugning jag någonsin haft - This has got to be the best blowjob I ever had

Du smakar så gott min älskare. Jag kunde smaka dig hela natten. - You taste so good my lover. I could taste you all night.

Sookie's dress - www (.) kaboodle (.) com/reviews/fashion-junkee-slit-mini-tube-dress-purple


	21. Chapter 21 Fight

I'm soooo sorry it's taken a while - I've been distracted with the release of Dead Reckoning, and then with painting my living room.

Since it's been a while, I'm gonna put a couple of chapters up today.

As always, loads of love and cuddles to my pre-readers **TezyJ** and **Claire**.

This chapter is un-beta'd so all mistakes are mine, and the usual disclaimer applies - they're not mine.

On with the show...

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**Chapter Twenty One – Fight**

Eric drove me home after our first date, and we sat downstairs in the living room making out for hours before he finally told me he had to leave. I had work the following night, so I reluctantly agreed to let him leave, and told him I would see him on Sunday night at the club.

On Friday, I went about my business as normal. Alcide had arrived with a crew of men to change the downstairs windows since the upstairs ones had already been done when he had built my new bedroom suite. I caught up with my laundry while they were working, then Alcide drove me to work when my shift was due to start.

Before I went to set up for my set, I asked Sam if I could see him in his office. He sat down behind his desk, and motioned for me to take a seat. "What can I do for you, Sookie?"

"First of all, thank you. For giving me yesterday night off. I felt really freaked out by what happened yesterday, and I just didn't feel safe leaving the house on my own." Before he could interrupt, I took a deep breath and blurted out, "I'm thinking of quitting, Sam." I could see he was about to speak again, so I continued, "Please, let me explain. I love working for you, and it's great for me to know that there's someone else I can talk to about everything, someone who understands. But I never saw myself as a waitress all my life and I don't want to turn into Arlene."

"What are you going to do?" he asked

"I'm not sure yet. I was thinking of investing in a business or maybe even opening something myself." He looked at me curiously, so I explained carefully, "I've been saving a lot since I started working, and I've just received an inheritance from Gran which was held in trust until I turned twenty five, so I have a few thousand dollars that I can use to invest, or start up something new." OK, so it was more than a few thousand, but Sam didn't need to know that.

"Does this have something to do with Eric?" he asked spitefully.

I was instantly on the defensive. "No, it doesn't. Eric doesn't even know anything about it." If Sam was going to behave like this about my relationship, maybe my decision to leave wasn't such a bad one.

"Sorry. It's just a big step for you to take, chère, and I haven't had any inkling that you're unhappy here."

"It's not that I'm unhappy, Sam. It's just that there are a lot of changes happening in my life, and I want to make the most of them. Please understand, I love it here, but now that I have the means together to allow me to move onto something better, I want to take the opportunity. I will continue to work here until you find my replacement; I'm not in any hurry to leave. And I'll continue to sing at the weekends, but not every weekend. I'm thinking of maybe doing more with that too."

"OK, Sookie. I accept your resignation, but please tell me if you're in trouble," he sighed. "I don't want to see you go, but I understand that you might have bigger and better things to do than to waitress for me for the rest of your life."

I gave him a smile, then stepped around the desk to give him a hug. My decision hadn't been one that I'd made lightly; it had been weighing on my mind since my birthday. So much had happened in my life since then, and I really did want to make the most of it. I didn't think it was fair of me to take up one of the few jobs around that didn't require any skills or an education now that I had my own money. I would rather let my job go to someone who really needed it, like I had needed it up until recently. Not to mention the fact that I also wanted to spend more time with Eric.

Sam put his arms around me and gave me a squeeze before releasing me and saying, "Now go, get to work before I have to fire you!"

We laughed and I left the room to set up my laptop at the end of the bar. I got everything ready, then signalled to Sam to turn off the jukebox and launched into my set. During my set, I saw Amelia come in with her date, so I gave her a smile and a wave as they sat in one of the booths. At the end of my first set, I turned round to the bar, and sat chatting with Sam whilst I had a drink. I didn't want to go over and interrupt Amelia and her date since I knew it was their first date, so I stayed at the bar with Sam. Sam was working behind the bar, and was pumping a beer when his face froze in shock.

I didn't really have time to take in what was happening. I looked up to the mirror that was hung behind the bottles on the bar, and saw a man I'd never seen before standing behind me. I saw a glint of something, then all I heard were screams running through the bar. I didn't feel anything initially, but I heard Amelia screaming my name. Sam had leapt over the bar to tackle the man, and Amelia's date had run across the room to help him. I remembered that Amelia had said that he'd been in the Supe ward at the hospital, so I figured he must have been some sort of shifter.

I still didn't understand what was happening. Why did Amelia scream my name, and why were Sam and Amelia's date tackling this other man to the ground?

Amelia reached her arms around me, and gently held me to her, saying, "You're going to be OK, Sookie, it's going to be alright."

"What do you mean, Amelia, why are you saying that? Why are Sam and your date fighting that man?" I was still confused, and beginning to feel a little strange.

"Sookie, you've been stabbed," Amelia said quietly.

"What? But I can't feel anything," I said. Amelia gasped.

"Sookie, can you feel your feet?"

I thought about it and tried to wiggle my toes. I panicked, "No, Amelia, I can't. What the hell is happening to me?" My cell phone started to ring, and I went to reach out to answer it, but Amelia stopped me.

"Sookie, you've got to stay still. That man stabbed you in the back. The knife is still actually lodged in your back. If you move, you may sever your spinal cord, or cause other internal damage," she explained. My cell was still ringing, and I could see Eric's name on the display.

"Meals, it's Eric. He's going to be feeling at least some of what I'm feeling right now. I need to talk to him, or I need someone to talk to him for me." It was amazing that we were having such a calm conversation when I had a knife sticking out of my back. Amelia's date had pinned down the man who'd stabbed me and they were on the floor nearby. The man was bleeding quite heavily from a number of cuts around his head where Sam and Amelia's date had kicked and punched him to subdue him.

Arlene got off the phone from calling for an ambulance for me, and told us that the ambulance was on its way. I asked Sam to call Eric on my cell, and I could hear Eric shouting from where I was sitting, perfectly still, supported by Amelia. Eric eventually stopped shouting at Sam for long enough for Sam to say, "No, stay where you are. She'll be taken to Shreveport General, Eric." He lowered his voice and said, "She's been stabbed in the back. The knife is still in her back, so I think they'll want to airlift her to Shreveport so that she can get the best treatment. Stay where you are since you're already in Shreveport and you can meet her there. Amelia's with her, so she's got someone taking care of her…"

The room started to sway, and I really didn't feel too good, so I whispered to Amelia, "I don't feel too good, Meals. I feel like I'm gonna hurl or something."

"You stay with me, Sookie. I need you to stay awake," said Amelia firmly.

"I'm trying, Meals, but I just want to go to sleep."

"Keep talking to me, Sook. I can hear the helicopter. We'll get you to hospital soon, but I need you to stay awake for me." My eyes started to droop, so Amelia asked me about my date with Eric last night. I told her about it as best I could, but even I could hear that my voice didn't sound right, it sounded distant and slurred like I was drunk.

I heard a commotion behind me as someone barged into the bar, but I couldn't see what was happening, and I felt so tired and fuzzy that I really didn't care. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Andy Bellefleur put handcuffs on the man that Amelia's date had pinned down, and he and Amelia's date drag the man to his feet, but I saw no more than that.

My eyes closed involuntarily, and I must have lost a bit of time, because the next thing I knew was there was a man in a bright orange jumpsuit standing right next to me telling me he was a paramedic with the medivac chopper, and that they were going to take me to Shreveport General. Amelia was still in front of me, holding me still, and I could hear her talking with someone, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. My shields were beginning to collapse, and the sound of everyone else's panicked thoughts weren't doing anything to keep me calm or lucid. I could feel the hysteria rising in me. My breathing started to quicken, and Amelia tried to calm me, but nothing worked.

"Meals," I whispered, "Tell everyone to shut up – the noise…." She looked at me with understanding, and asked that everyone cleared the bar area. She told everyone to wait outside to talk to the police, but to leave the medical people to work on me freely.

I heard Sam start to usher people outside, and the relief when everyone left the bar was palpable. I could still hear the thoughts of the medical people, and I tried as hard as I could to block them out, but my fear was overriding the instinct to shield.

One of the medical people asked me to wiggle my toes, and I started crying, "I can't feel my toes!" I wailed. Amelia was trying to comfort me, but she had tears running down her own face. They put a mask on my face, and prepared to move me. They called Sam and Amelia's date, whose name I remembered was Tray, back into the room to help manoeuvre me into a position that would be safe to transport me.

As they tipped me down onto my side, I screamed out in pain. I'd been wishing I could feel my feet, feel anything; but now that I could, I fervently wished that I couldn't. Someone put an IV in the back of my hand, and the pain magically disappeared, but it took the rest of the world with it.

I think I remember the sound of the helicopter, but I'm not sure – it felt like a dream, so maybe I was dreaming. I remember the sensation of lights flashing along above me, as though I was moving fast, but I don't really remember anything else until I heard a very familiar voice saying, "You've got to wake up, Sookie. I need you to wake up. I love you, and I can't lose you, please wake up."

I opened my eyes and whispered "I love you too, Eric."


	22. Chapter 22 Love Me?

As promised, another update today... I've got one more with me at work, so if I get chance, I'll put that up too :-)

**TezyJ** and **Claire** are my fave girls - thanks for your encouragement as you've pre-read my story xxx

Again, this chapter is not beta'd, so all mistakes are mine, but the characters and locations aren't - they're Charlaine Harris'

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**Chapter Twenty Two – Love Me?**

Eric's eyes were on my face when I opened my eyes, so I smiled wanly at him, "Hey."

"Hey to you, my lover. You gave me one hell of a scare," He smiled back.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Just a few hours. They took you straight for surgery when you got here, and they wouldn't let me see you until they brought you in here. The police are waiting for me to call to let them know that you are awake. What happened, Sookie?"

"I don't know, Eric. I was sitting at the bar talking to Sam between sets, and suddenly this man came and stabbed me. I didn't even know he'd done it until Amelia told me what had happened. I couldn't feel my legs," I told him, as I tried to wiggle my toes again. "Eric, I still can't feel my legs!" I cried.

He gently took hold of my hand, carefully avoiding the IV with one of his own, and used his other to wipe away my tears before saying "Relax, Sookie. You're going to be OK. Doctor Ludwig told me that your spine is just bruised. The knife missed your spinal cord, but it went straight through one of your kidneys. The only way to stop the bleeding when they removed the knife was to remove the kidney. I'm waiting for her to tell me it's OK to give you my blood, which will help heal you, and should help with the bruising on your spine."

"So, I should be able to feel my legs again?" I asked, scared to know the answer.

"Yes, lover, you will. Although even with my blood, it will take some time for you to heal," he reassured me.

As he was speaking, Doctor Ludwig entered my room. "The Viking is right, child. However, the human police are here to speak to you, so it would be advisable to wait until you have spoken with them before you take his blood." She checked my IV before taking hold of my hand and examining my fingernails. "It will take you a couple of weeks to fully recover," she said after a minute of examining my hands.

"I can cope with that!" I said happily. I'd feared the worst, but to be told I'd be fully recovered in a couple of weeks made me almost giddy.

"You will need someone with you for the first few days when you get home."

"I will stay with her," Eric informed her. I looked at him, part pleased and part shocked at him volunteering to look after me. He smiled at me and winked.

"She will need someone with her during the day, Viking."

"I'll probably sleep for most of the day, so I'll just ask Amelia and my brother to help me out if I need them," I interjected.

"Yes, that could work," replied Doctor Ludwig. "Since you are awake, I will tell the police that they may talk with you, but I need you to stay with her Viking," she said before walking out of the room.

I could hear her talking with someone on the other door, then the door opened and two uniformed police officers came into the room. It was Kevin and Kenya from the Bon Temps sheriff's office. Kenya was as tall and black as Kevin was short and white. To look at, they were a comical pair, but I realised something as I greeted them. They loved each other dearly, but didn't have the courage to say anything. Eric must have felt my surprise, because he raised his eyebrow at me. I just shook my head at him.

"Sookie, how are you feeling?" asked Kenya.

"Like I've been through the mill, Kenya," I grimaced. I could see her sizing Eric up out of the corner of her eye, so I said, "Kenya, Kevin, this is Eric Northman, my boyfriend." They all nodded at one another in greeting, but at the mention of the word 'boyfriend', both Kevin & Kenya's minds started running a mile a minute. Kenya was thinking that she'd heard Eric's name somewhere before, and Kevin was thinking that there was something different about him. They were both thinking that they hadn't heard that I was seeing anyone.

Kenya asked, "Where did you meet each other?" I could hear that she didn't feel comfortable with Eric, but couldn't work out why. Well, I guess she was going to find out.

"Eric owns a nightclub that's just opened in Shreveport – we met there," I explained. She thought about it, and I could see her eyes widen in comprehension when she put this together with the fact that she'd heard that the new club was a vampire bar, with the fact that Eric owned it. Thankfully, though, she didn't pursue that line of thought, instead deciding that she'd think about it later.

Kevin decided to get the ball rolling with the questions, "Sookie, what happened to you last night?"

"You probably know better than I do, Kevin. I was sitting at the bar, chatting with Sam when suddenly I heard people screaming my name, and Sam vaulted the bar to tackle someone. I'd seen a glimpse of someone in the mirror behind the bar, but it was all a bit surreal. He wasn't there one minute, but he was the next, then Sam and Amelia's date were tackling him to the ground."

"Did you recognise the man?" asked Kevin.

"I didn't really get to see him, so I couldn't say for sure, but I don't think I've seen him before."

Kenya asked, "Why would someone go after you, Sookie. Do you have enemies that we should know about?"

Eric squeezed my hand in warning, and I replied to Kenya, "No, I don't have enemies. I live a quiet life as you well know. The only reason anyone would ever have to be upset with me would be because I didn't smile at them when I served their drinks, and I hardly think that would be reason to stab me."

She nodded, "What about you, Mr Northman? Do you have enemies that might have done this to Sookie?"

Of course, I knew the answer to that question, but Eric answered smoothly, "No, I do not. I have recently opened a nightclub, and in that line of business, it pays to not have enemies. An enemy could result in the collapse of such a business."

"Mmhmm, and what about your er…associates?" she asked harshly.

"This attack wasn't carried out by vampires," he replied reasonably. "A vampire wouldn't wield a blade like that in a public place. Besides that, you already have the man in custody, and Sookie mentioned that he was tackled to the ground by a human man. This would not be possible if Sookie's attacker was a vampire."

Kenya was mollified (today's word of the day – I'd glanced at my calendar before going to work), but she was still suspicious of Eric's involvement in the incident. She was also hoping that vampires weren't involved in any way, since she knew that the police weren't equipped to handle any vampires.

"No-one knows about Eric and me," I said, "Our relationship is only a new one, so I doubt that anyone could be using me to try to get at Eric. I didn't recognise the man when I saw him in the mirror, so this must have just been a random attack."

Kevin was silently agreeing with me. He said, "You may be right, Sookie, but we need to cover all angles in our investigation. When you're well enough, we will ask you both to come down to the station to see if you can identify this man. I understand that you've had major surgery, so we won't be asking this of you for a few days. We will be arresting him in the morning for your attempted murder as soon as he's out of the haze that he's in at the minute, so we will have 72 hours before this goes before a judge. I've been told that you will be out of the hospital in a couple of days, so I'd like to see you at the station as soon as you can after that."

I looked at Eric and he nodded, "We'll be there. You mentioned this guy is in a haze, is he on drugs or something?" I asked.

Kenya replied, "His breath test for alcohol came back totally clear, but we need to run blood tests to find out if there's anything else in his system."

They both left soon after that, and I could hear them both thinking that me getting out of the hospital after such major surgery sounded very unusual, but Kevin was thinking that he'd heard in some major advances in medical science that allow people to recover from surgery much more quickly.

After they left, I said to Eric, "What do you think about the fact that this guy's 'in a haze'? Could he have been glamoured or something?"

"It's certainly a possibility, and if I find that Madden is behind this attack, I will have his head." He sounded deadly, and I was glad that I wasn't on the receiving end of his wrath.

We sat in silence thinking about that, before I remembered something that I thought I'd heard and said, "Eric?"

"Yes, my lover?"

"Did I dream you telling me you loved me?" I asked shyly.

"You most certainly did not, my angel. I love you with my entire being. I have never in my thousand years felt what I feel for you. When Pam first showed me your picture, I felt like I may have a reason for living. I hoped that you were free when I was finally able to meet you, and if you weren't, I was going to do whatever it took to win your heart. When I first saw your picture, I felt that we were fated." He was staring intently into my eyes as he said this, and I couldn't deny the truth and love that shone in his ocean blue eyes.

"I feel it too, Eric," I said quietly, "What I feel for you goes way beyond love. I'm sure that if I was entirely human, my heart would have burst from the love I feel for you." I shut my eyes in embarrassment, then said, "God, that sounded really cheesy didn't it?"

He chuckled and said, "It did, but I understand exactly how you feel."

"Hold me?" I asked, and gestured to the bed, which I noticed was a bit larger than a standard hospital bed. I was still flat on my back, but Eric managed to squeeze onto the bed beside me and wrap his arm around me, careful not to disturb any of the lines that were running into various parts of my body. I dozed off for a while in the safety of his arms, and was woken some time later by Pam and Amelia coming into the room. "Oh shit, sorry Sookie. We didn't mean to wake you," whispered Amelia. "Pam just had to see for herself that you were OK."

I looked to Pam, and could see that her eyes were red-rimmed, like they were filled with tears of blood. I realised with a start that they looked like that because that's exactly what they were. "Oh, Sookie, you're OK!" I nodded to her and gave her a small smile. Eric gave me a gentle squeeze. "I could feel your anxiety and confusion, along with Amelia's, then Eric felt your fear and I didn't know what was going on. Eric called your cell phone and when Sam told him what had happened and…" she stopped as a single red tear slid down her face. Amelia handed her a tissue, and she wiped it away. "Sookie, we thought you were going to die," she finished quietly.

I hadn't realised it was quite that bad, and I looked at Eric. "Sookie, by the time that you arrived here, you had bled so profusely from your kidney, you had lost about half of your blood. They were pumping you with fluids as fast as it was leaking out. That's why they took the decision to remove your kidney."

We told the girls about what had happened with the police, and Amelia filled in the blanks of what happened in Merlotte's. She explained that she and Tray had been sitting in the booth chatting when the man who attacked me walked through the door. She said that as soon as he walked in Tray said that he sensed something wasn't right, but it wasn't until they saw the knife that they realised what the man was going to do. She had shouted at me, and Tray had tried to tackle him, but they just weren't quick enough.

Eric remained quiet through Amelia's tale, obviously having heard it all from her earlier, but when she'd finished, he asked, "Did either Sam or Dawson get a scent off this man? If they scented someone on him, we may be able to find out who sent him."

Amelia answered, "Tray didn't mention anything to me."

"Pam, could you please go and talk to them both, and see what you can find out?" Eric asked.

Pam nodded, and stepped up to give me a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room. Amelia yawned and said she was going to go home to bed, but that she'd be back in the morning. I sighed and snuggled back in with Eric. My eyes were just closing towards sleep again when Doctor Ludwig came back into the room to give us the all-clear for me to take Eric's blood, and I was really happy when she told me that I could sit up for a little while. I asked if Eric could take a little of my blood, and she looked thoughtful before answering that he could, but only a very small amount since I'd lost so much of it earlier.

Before she left, she spoke to Eric, "Oh, Viking. You may be interested to know that the blood results that have come back on Sookie's attacker have come back clean for drugs, but it does include a trace of vampire blood. The magic that animates vampires showed on the results. Obviously, that information will not be passed to the human police." He gave her a nod before she left the room.

When we were alone, I reached across to put my hand on Eric's cheek, then whispered, "Kiss me."

He didn't need asking twice, he crashed his lips into mine. He kept the kiss relatively chaste, given that I couldn't actually move, then sat behind me as he had when we'd first exchanged blood. Because I couldn't move, he gently pulled me up against his chest. As with the first time, he bit his wrist and held it in front of me so that I could draw on the cut. I wrapped my lips around his wrist and started to suck. With each pull of his blood, I felt better, and stronger. After a couple of mouthfuls, I felt something change; it was a sudden searing pain in my back, and I flinched away from Eric's wrist with a groan. He whispered "Försiktigt, min älskling" to me, before pushing his wrist back in front of my face. I was in so much pain, I took another big pull from his wrist hoping that it would ease the pain. I whimpered, but felt the pain lessen. Eric's grip around my shoulders tightened and he started to kiss my neck. When I was starting to feel things I thought I might never feel again, he bit as gently as he could into my neck. He took one quick draw on my neck, then licked to seal my wounds. He stopped me then, saying that I'd taken enough.

I tried again to wiggle my toes, and laughed delightedly that I was able to do it. Eric looked a little confused until he followed my gaze and saw my feet moving underneath the blanket. He gave me a huge smile, and another mind-blowing kiss. "I really want to make love to you now," he whispered, "but I will not have our first time being in a hospital bed. It will be at home, in our bed where I can worship you as you deserve to be."

I blushed at his admission, and realised that I wanted him more at this moment than I ever had. I smiled shyly at him, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before settling down to rest. He whispered quietly to me in a foreign language that sounded like heaven to me. I looked up to meet his eyes and was surprised by the intensity I saw then when he said, "Beroende på vilket rövhål gjorde det här mot dig min ängel, kommer att dö en mycket smärtsam död."

"I'm not sure what you just said there, Eric, but I'm sure I don't want to know. What language is that you speak sometimes?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, my angel. I sometimes drop into my native tongue when I am deep in thought, or distracted some other way. I should teach you the language some day."

"I'd like that." I smiled. "Did you mean what you said before about home, and _our_ bed?"

"Yes, my lover. I will be staying at your home with you until you are well enough to move around, and I hope that one day soon, you will consent to move in with me, or for me to move in with you."

"I was kind of hoping you'd say that. I was thinking about it the other day when I was standing in the closet. Wondering if you would ever keep your clothes in there. I'd love for you to move in with me."

"Then that's what I will do," he grinned.

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försiktigt, min älskling – Gently, my darling.

beroende på vilket rövhål gjorde det här mot dig min ängel, kommer att dö en mycket smärtsam död - whichever asshole did this to you my angel, will die a very painful death


	23. Chapter 23 Accomplice

Last one for today...

As always, thanks to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for their support & encouragement.

Again, this chapter has not been beta'd, so the mistakes are mine. The characters & locations are not though - they belong to Ms Harris.

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**Chapter Twenty Three – Accomplice**

Doctor Ludwig allowed me to go home two days later, and while Eric was helping me pack up my stuff, I reflected on what had happened over the past few days. I'd been stabbed, and left fighting for my life; Eric and I had had our second blood exchange, we'd admitted our love for one another, and agreed to move in together.

I worried about that decision. Not because I was worried about our feelings for each other, or the way that our relationship was heading; but because I didn't know if we were moving too far, too fast. After all, Eric and I barely knew each other, and had actually only been on one date.

I'd spoken with Amelia about it when she came to visit me the day after I arrived in the hospital. She was scheduled to work that day, so she came in a couple of hours early toting a bag full of new clothes, underwear, nighties and toiletries for me. She helped me out of bed and into the shower, and washed my hair for me while I sat on a stool in the shower.

When I'd finished in the shower, and she'd helped me into a nightie (I was glad that she'd bought me one, because none of the ones I owned were what I would call 'hospital nighties' there wasn't enough of any of them to be called that), then back into bed.

Once I was settled in bed, I said, "Meals, I never said thank you."

"Don't be silly, Sook. You're my best friend, not to mention my blood sister, I wouldn't ever let you suffer at all if I could help it; and if I can't, at least I can make sure you're not alone."

"I know, and I love you for it," I winced a little as I shifted in the bed in an attempt to get more comfortable. If I felt like this with Eric's blood, I'd hate to think what I would have felt like without it. At least all the lines had been taken out of my hands, so I could rest my full weight on them whilst I moved around.

"I love you too, Sookie. I was so scared I was going to lose you," she said with a tear in her eye.

"Meals, I told Jason this a few weeks ago, I'm going nowhere," I told her in a soft, but firm voice. "For one thing, I've just got you and Pam back, and for another, I've just found Eric."

"I've been meaning to ask you about him, Sook. How are things going between you, with all of this stress and strain?"

I grinned, "Things are fantastic, Meals! He told me he loved me."

"And?"

"And I told him I loved him right back!"

She squealed and said, "I knew it! I knew from the minute that you first lay eyes on each other that there was something there. It was like you were fated or something."

"He said the same thing. But he said he felt it the first time he saw my picture, and when he said it, I realised that I'd felt something when I first saw his. Some kind of 'pull' that meant I had to meet him."

"It sounds like you each have met your soul mate, and your soul knew it when you saw each other's pictures for the first time," she observed dreamily. I peaked inside her head to see if she was being serious. She was.

"There's more," I admitted

"What more could there be? You've just got together, and you've just admitted your love for each other," she gave me a sharp look. "Are you getting married?"

"What!" I shrieked. Although it wasn't too far from the truth, the thought hadn't entered my head, but now that she had mentioned it, I knew that is was something that Eric and I would eventually do, but at the minute, was it even legal? "No, not quite. He's going to move in with me though."

Another squeal, with a too tight hug that made me wince. "Oh, Sookie, that's fantastic! I'm so happy for you!"

"You don't think it's too soon?" I asked. "We've been together for less than a month, and technically, we've only been on one date."

"Do you love him?" I nodded, "and does he love you?" Again, a nod, but a little more hesitant this time. "Then that's all that matters," she said triumphantly, as if she'd just solved one of the world's greatest mysteries.

"How can I be sure, Meals? I mean, I know I love him, and I'm sure he loves me, but how can I really be sure we're doing the right thing?"

"I don't suppose you'll ever get a cast iron guarantee, Sookie, but I've seen the way that Eric looks at you, and holds you. I was also there with him while you were in surgery, and I've never seen anyone as distressed as he was. He loves you."

I was snapped back into the present by Eric wrapping his arms around me, "Where did you go, lover?" he asked as he pressed a kiss on my forehead. "I've been talking to you, but you were a million miles away, and your emotions are all over the place."

"Sorry honey, I was just thinking." I replied, hoping that he'd let me drop the subject, but I wasn't so lucky this time.

"About what?"

"About us moving in together," I admitted with a sigh

"You're scared about it," it wasn't a question.

"I am. A little," I whispered. When I saw a hurt look cross his face, I rushed on to say, "but only because we hardly know each other Eric."

"I know I love you, and that you love me, and that's all I need to know."

"But what if one of us had a really annoying habit that the other just can't live with? I mean, I know that you're not going to leave the toilet seat up or anything but…"

"Then we either learn to live with it, or we change those habits. I've never done it before, but for you and with you, I am willing to make compromises."

I nodded, and pulled him to me for a kiss, "I love you."

"I love you too, Sookie. Now let's get you home."

He kept an arm around my waist for support as we walked out to the car. I was glad to see that he had an SUV with him, because I didn't think I could have managed the 'Vette.

"New car?" I asked him as he half lifted me into the passenger seat. I took in my surroundings as I got settled, and realised that the car was fully loaded. "It's nice."

He looked sheepish when he said "yes" but disappeared round to the driver's door before I was able to say anything to him. When he got in, I raised my eyebrow in question. "I bought it for you. That piece of crap you've been driving around in isn't exactly the safest thing in the world." He started the engine and drove out of the hospital grounds.

I sighed, "Eric, I was going to buy myself a new car. I just haven't gotten round to doing it yet." I was more than a little annoyed that he'd bought a car. I could afford one myself now, and although I'd wanted his help to choose one, I wanted to buy it myself. "Tell me how much it was, and I'll write you a check."

He gave me a sharp look, "No."

"No? That's all you've got to say?" I closed my eyes. I didn't want to argue with him, but I was determined to be as independent as I could be.

"No, I won't tell you how much the car cost. I bought it for you as a gift. Please accept it," his eyes were pleading.

I didn't have the energy to argue any more, but I continued, "Eric, a gift is a bunch of flowers, or a new dress, or maybe some jewellery. Not a new car."

"A gift is something given to the person who needs or wants something. You needed a new car, so I bought you one. I'm sorry if my gift has angered you, but I needed to know that you'd be safe, and this car has some excellent safety features." His eyes were boring into mine now, pleading me not to argue further.

I sighed again, and admitted defeat. I'd just have to find some way to pay him back for it. "OK, I accept your gift. Thank you," I reached out for his hand.

"Thank you." He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. I looked across at him, confused why he was thanking me. "Thank you for accepting the car, I know it's a lot to ask of you, and I know you like your independence, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do something that would help keep you safe," he explained.

I just nodded and closed my eyes, letting the world drift by me. Because I was alone with Eric, I was able to relax my shields, and the opportunity to just sink into my own thoughts without anyone else's interfering was one that I didn't want to miss.

Before I knew it, we were pulling into the parking lot at the sheriff's office. We had decided that we'd do this on the way home to get it out of the way, and to allow the police time to work with any information that they could if either of us recognised the man who had attacked us. Eric came round to my side of the car to help me out. He gently lifted me out of the seat, then gave me a quick kiss before saying, "Are you ready for this, lover? We can do it another day if you're not ready."

"I'd rather just get it over with, Eric, so that I can go home and soak in the tub."

He nodded, then wrapped his arm around my waist to support me while we walked into the building. Although his blood had helped me a lot, I was still in quite a lot of pain, and walking was still difficult since the muscles on my back had been bruised and damaged by the knife, then by the surgery to remove my kidney. Plus, my spine had been bruised too, which had been what caused me to stop feeling my legs. Eric's blood had reduced the swelling enough to allow me to feel my legs again, but it was still painful.

As soon as we stepped through the door, the police officer behind the counter picked up a phone and started speaking. When he put the phone down, he said, "Sookie, Andy will be with you any second." I gritted my teeth against the pain and nodded.

"You OK?" Eric whispered in my ear.

"Sore, but I'll survive. I just want this over with."

Andy Bellefleur came out into the reception area as we were talking and asked, "Sookie, how are you feeling?"

"I've felt better, Andy."

"I'd imagine you have," he said kindly. "You must be Sookie's boyfriend?" he addressed Eric.

"Eric Northman." Eric held his hand out to Andy. I was surprised at this, because one thing I'd learned was that vampires didn't shake hands. I figured that Eric must have been doing that bloke thing where they squeeze hands a little too tight when they're shaking hands, because I could hear Andy's thoughts practically screaming _Fuck, he's strong! If he carries on like this, he's gonna bust my hand._ I gave Eric a squeeze around his waist, and he let go of Andy's hand.

Andy cleared his throat, "OK, if you'd both like to come with me, I will show you to a room where you and see your attacker without being seen. Sookie, if at any point, you don't feel up to it, you just let me know, and we'll get you out of there."

We nodded in agreement and understanding, then Eric helped me along the corridor behind Andy. Andy showed us into a small room with what I assumed to be a one way mirror all against one wall. He told us to take a seat, and that the prisoner would be brought into the room on the other side of the mirror in a minute for 'questioning'. He told us that we could speak in this room, but we'd have to speak quietly, otherwise he may hear us.

When we nodded again, Andy picked up a telephone in the room, and spoke into it, "Kenya, we're ready."

A few minutes later, Kenya brought the handcuffed and shackled prisoner into the room next door. I leant into Eric when I saw him, because although I didn't know the man, I recognised him from when I'd seen him in the mirror behind the bar on Friday night.

Both Eric and Andy looked at me with concern on their faces. "I'm OK," I whispered. "I don't think I recognise him though. Is there any way you can get him to turn to face us?"

Andy looked thoughtful, then said, "Stay here," before leaving the room. A few seconds later, he appeared next door.

Eric quietly asked me, "Can you hear anything from him?"

I pulled a face. The man's thoughts were difficult to read, since his mind seemed to be a bit hazy, but I concentrated hard, and listened to what I could hear. While I was concentrating, Andy managed to persuade the man to turn to face the mirror.

As soon as the man faced the mirror, his thoughts cleared enough for me to hear _that bitch must be behind this mirror. They may be able to pin the fact that I stabbed her on me, but they'll put it down to me being crazy or something. They'll never find a motive for it. Victor made sure that there was enough of something in my blood to make it look like I was high on drugs or something, so I should get away with a light sentence._ I gasped at hearing his thoughts.

"Sookie?" Eric looked concerned.

"Madden," I whispered.

Eric growled quietly, and wrapped his arms around me as the tears started to stream down my face. "Shh. I'm here, and I _will_ protect you, Sookie, I will not let Madden harm you further to get to me. I will see him dead before he tries again."

Andy re-appeared in the room, and asked us if we recognised the man. We both told him that we didn't, and Andy, taking account of my tear-filled eyes, told us that we could go, and that he would be in touch as soon as he found out what the judge said the following day.

I was tired, and Eric sensed this, so he asked, "Do you want me to carry you, Sookie?" I just nodded and he scooped me up into his arms. When we left the police station, I noticed that the car that Eric had bought me was an Audi Q7. I'd always wanted an Audi, and I told him so.

"I knew you'd like it, once you got over the fact that I'd bought you it," he smiled.

"I do. Now take me home and get me naked and in the tub," I grinned. He had me in the car and on the road in less than ten seconds.


	24. Chapter 24 Cared For

Hi guys, I'm back! Thanks to all of my regular readers & reviewers for sticking with me. You're all fantastic :-)

As always, thanks to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for their support & encouragement.

Again, this chapter has not been beta'd, so the mistakes are mine. The characters & locations are not though - they belong to Ms Harris.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four - Cared for**

When we arrived home, Eric had me out of the car and into our bedroom almost as quickly as he had got me in the car at the police station. He gently deposited me on the edge of the bed while he went to run a bath for us. While he was in the bathroom, my cell phone rang, and according to the caller display, it was Jason calling. I sat with the phone in my hand, trying to decide whether to answer.

I was a little upset with him since he hadn't come to visit me in the hospital this time round. I'd heard he had a girlfriend, whose name was Crystal, and that he'd been spending a lot of time with her over the past couple of weeks; but if the situation was reversed, and he had been seriously injured, I would always have made time to come visit him in hospital. I wasn't sure if I was going to answer it, so I let it ring. Eric came into the room and asked if I was going to answer. "I'm not sure I want to speak with him, Eric. I'm still upset with him."

He nodded, and took the phone from me. He flipped it open and answered, "Hello Jason." He waited for Jason to speak, then said, "No, you have the right number. This is Eric Northman, your sister's boyfriend." I still got all warm and fuzzy when Eric called himself that, and he turned and winked at me in acknowledgement of my emotions. "Well you would know that she had a boyfriend if you bothered to speak with her once in a while... We've been together for a couple of months." he chided. "She's home now, and doing better, but she's still in a lot of pain, and feels tired easily…. I will tell her that you called. Good night, Jason." He hung up the phone. "He said that he's sorry that he didn't come and see you, and that he'd see you tomorrow." He told me as he scooped me up to take me into the bathroom.

He set me down on the toilet seat, and slowly undressed me. By the time he had finished removing my clothes, the tub was filled above the Jacuzzi jets, so he turned the jets on and the water off before gently lowering me into the tub. Once I was settled, he took off his own clothes and stepped in behind me. He sat with his legs on either side of mine, and sat me upright a little so that he could start rubbing his hands on my shoulders.

He massaged my shoulders and the tops of my arms, occasionally touching the sides of my breasts, but he never took it any further than that. I could feel the knots of tension disappearing under his talented fingers. While he was working he spoke to me in hushed tones, "What happened at the Sheriff's office today?"

My reply was in equally hushed tones. I told him exactly what I had heard from my attacker's thoughts. He hissed quietly under his breath again when I mentioned Victor Madden, then once I'd finished my tale he said, "Madden is a fucking amateur. I don't doubt that he'll make a mistake very soon, and I will be able to catch him out. He's as good as dead for instigating an attack on you, but when I catch him, he will wish he had never been born." Although Eric spoke quietly, the menace in his voice sent shivers down my spine. He redoubled his efforts to relax me, and said, "My apologies, lover. We will talk of this no more this evening." He grabbed the shower attachment on the tap, and ran the water through until it reached the perfect temperature before allowing the spray to soak my hair. He passed the shower head to me while he reached for my shampoo and began massaging my scalp, making sure to coat all of my hair in shampoo before taking the shower head back from me to rinse my hair. He repeated the process with the shampoo, then worked conditioner into the length of my hair.

He piled my hair on top of my head, then started to wash the rest of my body. Any other time that he did this to me, I think I would have been a superheated ball of lust, but tonight, I was just too tired and sore to feel anything more than grateful that he was taking care of me in this way. He rinsed the conditioner out of my hair before stepping out of the tub, and wrapping himself in a towel then lifting me out and wrapping me in a towel too. He wrapped my hair in a towel while he dried my body off, and put me in a black satin negligee with lace detailing around the bust and hem, with red roses embroidered on the bust.

"You look stunning in this, my angel," he whispered, "I cannot wait until the day that you feel well enough for me to ravish you." he pressed his lips to mine and kissed me, but before we could get too deeply involved with the kiss, he pulled back. "Come, min älskare, you are tired, and need to rest." He picked me up bridal style for what must have been at least the third time today, and carried me to bed. He pulled the covers back, and lay me down in the bed before climbing in beside me.

I rolled over onto my side, and Eric carefully pulled me to him, and wrapped his arm around me. "Sleep, my lover. I will stay with you until you fall asleep, then I must get some work done. I will be back with you in my arms before the dawn." He hummed softly to me until my eyes drooped, and I succumbed to sleep.

I woke in the morning to find myself wrapped in Eric's arms, and a note on my bedside table. The clock told me it was eleven in the morning, and my bladder told me it was time to get up. I slowly untangled myself from Eric's arms and legs, then just as slowly eased myself out of bed and into the bathroom. I felt like an eighty year old woman, I was moving so slowly, but I was stiff, and very sore. I took care of business then headed back to the bedroom.

I picked up the note from my bedside table, and took it to an old rocking chair that I'd had Alcide bring down from the attic and cleaned up for me. I sat rocking gently back and forward as I read the note.

_My Darling Sookie,_

_I have engaged the services of Tray Dawson, who pulled your attacker off you on Friday night, to act as your bodyguard on a permanent basis. He will come to see you this evening after dark, and you and I will discuss with him what our situation is._

_I have also been in contact with Claudine, who has agreed to stay with you during the day for the next few days until you are feeling a little more mobile, and able to get out and about. I have permitted her to enter our suite, but only if accompanied by you. Please remember Doctor Ludwig's orders that you are to rest as much as possible and allow Claudine to help you._

_I have people I trust assisting me with the Victor Madden situation, and I'm sure we will start to see information come in soon that will allow me to legally take him out without risking the wrath of the vampire court system._

_Have no fear, my love – your protection is my primary concern, and I __**will**__ see you avenged. _

_Remember I love you, and I will see you this evening._

_~E_

_X_

Eric was still obviously concerned about an attack on me, and had been speaking with Claudine about me. That he had agreed to her coming into our suite was a huge concession, and statement of trust on his part, and I would be eternally grateful for that, but I would try to be worthy of that trust by staying out of our suite unless it couldn't be avoided. Since it was past eleven in the morning, I figured Claudine must already be in the house, so I decided to go and see her. I threw on a thick robe and gathered together some clean underwear, a pair of yoga pants and a loose t-shirt.

I slipped out of our bedroom and made sure the door to the suite had locked before calling down the stairs, "Claudine? You here?"

Claudine appeared at the bottom of the stairs and said, "I am. Do you need help down the stairs?"

I gave her an apologetic look, "Would you mind? I haven't been able to walk far, and I haven't attempted stairs yet."

She was at the top of the stairs before I'd finished speaking, and had wrapped her arms around me. "Not a problem, I'm glad to help. I'm just sorry I wasn't there for you on Friday."

"Hey, none of that! No-one could have known what was going to happen, and even the people who were there weren't able to prevent it. And the people there weren't just ordinary people, they were shifters."

"That still doesn't stop me wishing I could have done something for you." We were walking (very slowly) down the stairs and I was gripping onto the handrail so tight, I thought I might pull it off the wall.

"Maybe there is something you could do for me." I said with a wince as a stab of pain ripped through my back. I was counting the stairs, and was pleased to see that there were only three to go. The pain that I was suffering right now was incentive enough for me not to want to go back upstairs until Eric was up.

"What's that?" she asked me, curious. I took a deep breath and gritted my teeth until I reached the bottom step. Claudine could obviously see the pain on my face, because she didn't push me for an answer. "Tell me when we get you comfortable. Do you want to get dressed now, or do you want to leave it for a while."

I breathed, "Leave it for now."

"OK, let's get you onto the settee," she said brightly. I looked at the gap between where we were and the settee, and estimated it to be around fifteen steps, which I knew would be agonising. I nodded and braced myself for further pain.

She got me settled on the settee in a cocoon of cushions, and threw the blue and white Afghan that Gran had made over me. Gran had made the blanket for me after my parents had died almost as a comfort blanket, and I don't think I would ever part with it. She wordlessly handed me some painkillers and a glass of water, which I chugged down as quickly as I could, in the vain hope that if I swallowed them quickly, they'd work faster. "Thanks." I grimaced, offering her a weak smile.

"No problem. You want something to eat? I can make you some French toast."

"Sounds perfect!"

She disappeared off to the kitchen, and reappeared a few minutes later with a plate full of French toast. I devoured most of it. I was in a lot of pain, and that would normally put me off food, but I didn't feel like I'd eaten in about three weeks. "Claudine, that was delicious. I can't believe I've eaten so much."

"It'll help to make you feel better."

"It's certainly done that!" I declared. "I'm still in pain, but I feel a lot better in myself."

"I'm glad. Now tell me what I can do for you."

"You're already doing so much just by being here, Claudine." She gave me a look that told me she wasn't going to accept that. "OK, well I was thinking… I assume Eric told you some about what's happening?"

"He did."

"Good. Well, we think that the person behind it all is a vamp called Victor Madden. We think that he's out to get Eric for some reason. Most likely because after the queen, Eric is the most powerful vampire in the state, and Madden wants him out of the picture so that he can take Louisiana for his king, although I think that if someone is that ruthless, they are far more likely to be working to their own agenda." Claudine was nodding in agreement. "Well, Eric caught a couple of his waitresses stealing, and it turned out that it was to hide a bigger thing of Madden going into his and Pam's offices at the club to search for something. Eric spoke with the queen about it, and she confronted Madden about it, now Madden is gunning even harder for Eric.

"Now that Eric and I are together, Madden is trying to use me to get to Eric, and that nearly got me killed on Friday night. Eric is working on getting him out of the picture, but he needs to do so 'legally' otherwise he could end up in a heap of trouble with the vampire courts. He's got people working on it, but we need to find out exactly what Madden is doing, and why."

"And you want me to help you with that?" Claudine asked.

"If it's possible, yes. I love Eric, and I don't want to see anything happen to him, so the more evidence we have against Madden, the better his case is."

"I'm sure it will be possible. I have… contacts… who could gather information on this Madden. Since he has caused grievous injury to one of our own, there will be plenty of people who would be willing to assist with this."

"Why would my getting hurt mean so much to other people, Claudine?"

"Suffice it to say, you have a lot of friends," she said cryptically.

"You're not going to explain that, are you?" I asked.

"Nope!" she popped the 'p'.

"Fine," I huffed, then changed the subject. We talked more about my fairy powers, and then some about my set list for Fangtasia. I told her that I wanted to find the perfect song that would show my feelings for Eric, but that would be suitable for the Fangtasia audience, and that I wanted it to be a surprise for him.

We spent hours browsing the internet trying to find the perfect song. In the end, I narrowed my choices down to a couple of songs, and I would practice them during the day while Eric was asleep until I was happy with my choice. I wouldn't let anyone know what my choice was until the night.

Claudine had helped me dress after I'd been downstairs for an hour or so, so at least I was dressed when Jason called in after he finished work at four thirty. I introduced the two, and Jason's eyes almost popped out of his head when he took in Claudine's beauty. Before he made a complete fool of himself, I asked him about his new girlfriend, and the next words out of his mouth couldn't have shocked me more. He told me he thought he was falling in love, and that he thought she was 'the one'. He then went on to ask me about Eric. I shared a look with Claudine before telling him that Eric was a vampire.

He surprised me again by asking, "Does he treat you right, Sook?" When I confirmed that he did, he continued, "Well, that's all that matters to me. If you love him, I'll accept him, no matter who or what he is."

Tears filled my eyes as I said, "Thank you Jason, you don't know how much that means to me."

"You're my little sister, and I love you. I only want you to be happy." I felt like saying 'who are you, and what have you done with my brother?' He must have seen my confusion flash on my face, so he said, "I know I haven't always been there for you, and I'm sorry for that. I'm not going to promise to be there for you in the future, because we both know that that probably isn't going to happen. When will I get to meet the boyfriend?"

"Soon, but it depends on Eric. He's busy with work, so it depends when he's free." And besides, I figured I'd better give Eric chance to cool down when it came to Jason. I knew that he knew that Jason had upset me, and I didn't think that Eric was the type to let something like that drop without comment.

"OK, well, I gotta go, Sook. See you around." He gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead before leaving. I'd caught from his mind that he had a date with Crystal and didn't want to be late.

Not long after Jason left, we heard he shower running upstairs and Claudine started saying her goodbyes. When the shower cut off, she popped out of the living room. Seconds later, Eric appeared at the foot of the stairs. His nostrils flared and he whipped across the room to me. He kneeled on the floor beside me and gave me a toe-curling kiss. He broke awake to allow me to breathe and pulled me into a hug.

"What was that for?" I asked with a laugh.

"When you smell like that, I just want to fuck you and bite you and rub myself all over you." He was serious, but I couldn't help but laugh.

"Gee, thanks Eric!" I joked, "Good to know that you love me for me, not just for the way I smell." That seemed to snap him out of it, and he apologised. "No need to apologise. Just don't get carried away."

"I wish you were well…" he said wistfully. "Tell me about your day," he asked, probably to distract himself.

"After you've got yourself a True Blood."

He disappeared into the kitchen and came back a minute later with a warm bottle of True Blood in his hand. He settled on the settee next to me, and took a gulp from the bottle. "So, what have you and Claudine been up to?"

"We talked for a while, then we looked up some music for my Fangtasia set," I told him, "Then Jason came to see me."

His eyes snapped to mine when I said the last part. "Your brother's been here?"

"Yeah. He apologised for not coming to visit me while I was in hospital. He wants to meet you."

"I'm sure he does," came Eric's flat response.

"He does. Actually, he really surprised me. He told me that he didn't care who or what you are, so long as I'm happy and you treat me right."

"And you are happy?" he sounded almost hesitant.

"I am. I love you." I replied with conviction.

"I love you too, Sookie." He snuggled up to me, and kissed me softly. We spent a few minutes just kissing until he said, "Dawson will be here soon. He's going to patrol outside first, then come in to talk."

As he was saying that, there was a knock at the front door. Eric got up to answer and I could hear the rumble of male voices getting closer to the living room as he invited Dawson into the house. Amelia had told me that the fact that I'd had Eric's blood when she laid the wards on the house allowed him to invite people past them.

When they stepped into the room, I could see what Amelia saw in Dawson. He was massive! He wasn't as tall as Eric, but he was easily twice as wide. The Were obviously worked out. Eric introduced us, and Dawson spoke to me in a soft voice telling me not to get up. I could tell he was the teddy bear type, who would be really caring most of the time, but if he were provoked, you certainly didn't want to be in his way.

He and Eric spoke for some time, then Dawson said, "The house next door seems to be empty. I'm a little concerned that someone may decide to break in and use that as somewhere to hide."

"Um, yeah. It is empty," I told them both. "It belongs to my ex. It fell to him when his father died a couple of years ago, but he lives in Seattle with his whore of a girlfriend." Eric could hear the bitterness in my voice, and feel the hurt that I still felt when I thought of Bill and what he'd done to me. He raised his eyebrow, and I just shook my head. I just didn't want to go there right now.

"What is this asshole's name? I may just relieve him of his property," he asked.

"Bill Compton, but I have no idea exactly where he is, just that he moved to Seattle with Lorena," I replied. "What do you mean, _relieve_ him of his property?"

"You'll see," he replied with a smile.

"I don't think I want to know Eric. Please don't do anything illegal."

He laughed out loud. "I will have no need to do anything illegal, lover. I think I will go and check out this property before I do anything else this evening. Dawson, you will stay here with Sookie until I return."

Dawson nodded, and Eric left the house. "Thank you, Dawson. I'm sure what you did on Friday night helped save my life."

"Any time, Sookie. Have they charged that asshole?"

"Attempted murder," I replied. Andy Bellefleur had called me that afternoon to tell me that the charges had been set, and that my attacker had been before the judge, who had refused bail since it was an unprovoked attack.

"Good, I hope he rots," growled Dawson passionately, "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's violence against women and children."

We talked for a while before Eric came back looking pleased about something. He told Dawson that I would pretty much housebound for the next few days until I healed a bit further, and that I would have assistance during that time, so we wouldn't need him immediately. He said that we would contact him when we needed him.

Dawson agreed to that, and said goodbye to both of us before leaving us alone for the evening.

"Carry me upstairs?" I asked.

"Of course, my angel." He scooped me up and carried me upstairs, where I crawled into bed after Eric helped me change into a baby pink nightie.

He climbed into bed beside me, and pulled me close, so that I lay across his chest. "I've been thinking that maybe we should build a garage out back. I'm not so sure that I want the cars out in the open all the time. What happens if someone does something to them?"

"I was going to make the same suggestion, lover. I will contact Alcide tonight and get him to start work as soon as possible."

"Sounds good," I said, stifling a yawn, "I would prefer it over towards the shed so that I still have somewhere to sit out during the day."

"Alright, I will tell him. Now sleep, lover. I will stay until you fall asleep, then I have some calls to make. Tomorrow, I must go to Fangtasia, so I will arrange for Pam to stay with you. She will be pleased with her room here."

I smiled, "I hope so." I gave him a kiss on the chin, then snuggled in. He ran soothing circles across my back, and I soon found myself drifting off to sleep.

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**Sookie's black negligee** http:/www(dot)backinstyle(dot)com/Black-Satin-Negligee-with-Red-Roses-p-5688(dot)html

**Gran's Afghan** http:/www(dot)flickr(dot)com/photos/sofiasmiles/2646662437/in/faves-30305653N04/

**Sookie's baby pink nightie** http:/image(dot)dhgate(dot)com/upload/201011/50/productimg1290006247265(dot)jpg

min älskare – My lover.


	25. Chapter 25 Unwelcome Visitor

Blimey, what's going on? Two updates in one week? I must be catching up. Actually, I've 'stolen' the PC from my hubby for a few minutes to get this chapter edited & uploaded. He's still off work for the next week, though, so don't expect it to happen all the time :-) I've even found my muse again, and have managed to plough through writing chapter 36, and have started on 37. I know I said a few chapters ago that I thought the story would be about 40 chapters in length... I was wrong. Eric & Sookie keep talking to me, and they keep taking this story in directions I hadn't anticipated at the start. It's still in line with my original outline, but there are a few extras in there that I hadn't planned for (but I think they're good, so I hope you'll enjoy them!)/

As always, thanks to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for their support & encouragement.

Again, this chapter has not been beta'd, so the mistakes are mine. The characters & locations are not though - they belong to Ms Harris.

On with the show...

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**Chapter Twenty Five – Unwelcome Visitor**

The next couple of days went by in almost the same way that my first day back at home. I was gradually feeling stronger, and by the third day, I was pretty much able to come down the stairs without help, although Claudine still walked with me in case I fell.

We were sitting in the kitchen at tea time on the third day. I was beginning to get stir crazy, and we were talking about the possibility of me going out the next day when there was a knock at the front door. I eased myself out of my seat, and walked slowly to the front door. I certainly wasn't expecting who I saw when I checked the peephole.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. "Bill," I said in a hard voice. "What are you doing here?" The sun had set, so I knew Eric would be downstairs soon.

"I just thought I'd drop in and see you since I'm in town for a few days," he answered. I could see that he was itching to come in, but I wasn't going to allow him past my wards. This man had caused me a lot of hurt, and I didn't trust him enough to let him into the house, especially since I could hear in his thoughts that he had come to see if he could get me to sleep with him since he was in town for a few days, and Lorena was still in Seattle. They'd argued over the fact that he was coming back to Bon Temps.

"What brings you back to Bon Temps?" I asked cautiously.

"I had an offer on my old place that I couldn't refuse, so I've come back to clear out the last of my stuff before I hand over the keys." It had been an incredible offer, he was thinking. A wealthy businessman from Shreveport had offered to pay cash for the house because he liked it's out of the way location and the peace and quiet that that afforded.

I had a feeling I knew who had bought the old Compton place, and that someone was coming down the stairs, stepping a little more heavily than he would normally do so that I knew he was there. Eric came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, giving me a quick kiss on the neck. "Who's your visitor, lover?"

"Eric, this is Bill Compton. I believe you have some business dealings with him."

"Ah! The ex. How awkward it must be for you, Will was it?" I had to bite my tongue to suppress the giggle that threatened to erupt from my throat. Eric could feel my amusement, and gave me a gentle squeeze.

"It's Bill, actually," he said tersely, "And you are?"

"Eric Northman, Sookie's live-in lover." He answered with a fangy smirk. I was going to kill him for that one later.

"Northman? Are you the one who has bought my house?" I could hear from Bill's thoughts that Eric had paid over the odds for Bill's house, but Bill had thought that he was an old man who has more money than sense, especially after buying a house as run down as his fathers had been.

"That's me," replied Eric with another fangy smile. By this point, the pissing contest was beginning to grate on me.

"Well, Bill, it's been nice seeing you, but Eric and I have things to do, so if you'll excuse us," I said, as I made to close the door.

"Sookie, I'm sorry, I know I hurt you, and I hope that you can find it in you to forgive me."

"That might happen one day, Bill; but I haven't forgiven you yet. There's only one thing that I'm glad about our relationship, and that's that I kept my promise to save myself for someone I loved." At this, I looked up at Eric and smiled. He smiled back down at me with love in his eyes. "And for now, we really do have things to be doing. I'm sure Eric will be in touch about the purchase."

"That I will. Nice meeting you, Will," said Eric, deliberately getting Bill's name wrong again.

"Sookie…" Bill totally ignored Eric. I could hear from his thoughts that he thought Eric was a dick, but that he wasn't going to renege on the sale of his house, because he wanted the money.

"Good night, Bill," I said, and shut the door in his face.

"What did he want?" asked Eric.

"To try to get me into bed," I told him, with a look of distaste on my face.

"What did you ever see in him? He looks like he belongs in the cast of Grease with that hair. And from what I've just seen of him, he's a total asshole."

I laughed, "You're right!" Then I remembered I was supposed to be annoyed with Eric, "What was that 'live-in lover' comment?"

"The truth. I pride myself in always speaking the truth. I may not tell everything to everyone, but what I do say is always the truth, or some variation of it." He kissed me thoroughly, "I love you."

"I love you too, Eric," I reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "So, what are the plans for tonight?"

"Whatever you want to do, my angel."

"Can we go out somewhere? I'm going crazy sitting in the house all the time," I asked. I thought for a moment, "How about we have a second date?" I asked with a smile.

"What did you have in mind? A movie, or dinner and dancing, or something else?"

"Surprise me."

"I can feel that you are still in pain, so maybe dinner. We can try the dancing part if you still feel up to it afterwards," he suggested.

I grinned, "Sounds good to me! Let me go and get changed. Is Claudine still here?"

"No. She popped out as soon as she heard me on the stairs."

I felt a little disappointed that I hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to her, but it was better than the alternative of Eric draining her dry. "Oh, OK. I guess we'd better go get dressed then."

Eric tried to carry me as we went back upstairs, but I told him that I needed to continue to build myself up, and that exercise was the only way to do that. "I can help with that!" he waggled his eyebrows.

"Oh no you don't!" I laughed, only half serious, "We've only been on one date. I don't sleep with people after only one date." But apparently I moved in with them! I know I was being a hypocrite, but I still had my principles when it came to sex.

"How about after a second date?" he asked hopefully.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I suppose it would depend on how well that date went, and whether or not I felt that the guy was a 'keeper'."

"Bill obviously wasn't!" he said with a sly chuckle.

"No, he wasn't. I was with him for a few months, and I never felt like I was ready to take that step. I guess I subconsciously knew he just wasn't my type."

"Your type?" And what is your type?"

"Hmm…" I mused with my hand to my lip, pretending to think about it. "I like my men tall, blond & muscular. What's your type?"

"I like my women blonde, busty and beautiful," he answered as he wrapped his arms around me. I tried not to think about how many blonde, busty and beautiful women he'd had over the centuries. Somehow, I wasn't that bothered that he'd been with Pam, but the thought of multitudes of other unknown beauties put a bit of a dampener on my mood. "What's wrong lover?"

"It's nothing. I'm just being silly."

"Your mood just shifted from happy and flirty to sad and jealous. What have I done wrong?" he asked, unsure.

"I told you, I'm just being silly. Ignore me." I tried to force a smile to my lips.

He gave me a disbelieving look, then touched his lips to mine, "I have never loved another, Sookie."

Those words were like a salve to my wound. "You can honestly say that? You've lived for more than a thousand years, and you've never loved another?"

He looked me straight in the eye, so that I could see the truth there. "Lover, you must understand that in order to survive as a vampire, you have to lock away all of your human emotions. Love, fear and even happiness, to a degree, can be considered as weaknesses, and a weak vampire is as good as a dead vampire. After centuries of locking your emotions down, it becomes difficult to feel them. Add to that the fact that as vampires, we would most likely outlive the object of our affection; it's easier not to get too emotionally involved with anyone else. That said, every once in a while, you hear of a vampire who finds love.

"And I am glad to say that I've been lucky enough to have found you, especially since your fae heritage is likely to result in a much extended life for you, with slow ageing, which will only be helped by you taking my blood. That way, I can spend many more years with you than most vampires would get with their human lovers before we have to make a decision about whether you should be turned." He paused, taking into account the expression on my face, and no doubt, the emotions that he could feel. "I know you don't want that yet, and it's not something that I would ever do without your consent; but I hope that one day you would consider it."

"So you falling for me is a big thing?" I asked, "I mean, bigger than it is for me to fall for you?" He nodded with a smile on his face that shone in his eyes. "It doesn't mean that you love me more than I love you."

"I know, my lover. I can feel your love for me, and believe me, my love for you is just as strong. Perhaps one day soon you and I will bond and you will feel it too."

"Bond?" I asked.

"Yes. Get dressed, and we'll talk about it over dinner."

We quickly got changed, and Eric drove us out to a restaurant in Shreveport. When we were seated, and had ordered or choices, I took the opportunity to restart our earlier conversation. "What did you mean before about the bond?"

He reached his hand across the table, and took hold of one of my hands, which were resting on the table, and explained, "A bond is a very rare thing, but it occurs when a vampire and human exchange blood more than twice. Unlike a blood exchange, which will wear off in a few weeks, a bond is permanent and unbreakable. It allows not only the vampire to feel the human's emotions and whereabouts, the human will feel the same for the vampire."

"Would it change the way we feel about each other?" I asked nervously.

"No, a bond can only strengthen and intensify feelings which already exist. It would allow either of us to 'push' emotions to the other."

"What does that mean?"

"Say for example I was angry about something, you could push calm to me through the bond to calm me down. Or, if you were afraid, I could push courage to you."

"Hmm," I said thoughtfully, "That could be useful!"

"It could," he agreed.

"So, say I was feeling… horny… I could push that on you?" I asked with a twinkle in my eye. He nodded with a grin. OK, that could be fun. Our waiter arrived with my food and Eric's blood.

As I was tucking into my meal, I realised that I could probably already push my emotions onto Eric to a degree already since he could feel them, so I decided to have a little fun experimenting. Eric grinned at me, "What has you so amused lover?"

"Oh, nothing," I replied with a smile, "I've just realised something, that's all."

"Are you going to share?"

"Not yet," I laughed. If I was right, he'd find out soon enough. I continued eating my meal and we talked a little more about general things, then I mentioned that I was thinking of investing some of my money in a business, or even starting up my own.

"You could invest in the club," he suggested.

"But you and Pam own the club."

"We do, but we're looking for another investor. Business has really boomed since we opened, and we're thinking of expanding into the unit next door. If you're interested, I can get Pam to put the figures together and you can pass them to Mr Cataliades to review before you invest."

I thought about it. The thought of seeing Eric every night, and what we might be able to do at the club was doing something to my girly bits. "OK. Put something together."

We steered the conversation away from business, and on to what we wanted to do next tonight. All the while we were talking, I kept my thoughts on the different scenarios of what Eric and I could do to each other at the club.

"Let's go to the club." I suggested. Eric raised an eyebrow. "I feel like dancing for a while, and I know you have things to do. I can keep an eye on things while you're busy, then we can dance for a while before we go home."

"We're on a date, Sookie. Neither of us should be working," he said sternly.

"I know, but you need to keep on top of things, I understand that. I know you won't be long." He definitely wouldn't if my experiment worked. "And besides, if you take too much time away, it'll give Victor more opportunity to work against you. I want to catch the shit as much as you do, so I'll listen while we're there."

He thought about it for a while before heaving an unnecessary sigh and saying, "OK, we'll go. But as soon as I'm finished working we're going to dance until you drop."

I smiled, "Come on, let's go."


	26. Chapter 26 Experiment

Two in one day? I'll have to hand the PC back soon, so I think this may be the last for today, though. Cheeky Miss Stackhouse has had an idea, and she wants to play with it, and see where it takes her...

As always, thanks to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for their support & encouragement.

Again, this chapter has not been beta'd, so the mistakes are mine. The characters & locations are not though - they belong to Ms Harris.

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**Chapter Twenty Six - Experiment**

On the drive over to Fangtasia, I continued to imagine all sorts of situations for Eric and me – in his office, on his throne in the empty bar – just to see if I could get a reaction out of him. He kept glancing over at me with a curious look on his face, but I knew I had him when his hand moved to rest on my thigh. One more particularly vividly imagined scenario of me going down on him was enough to spike my lust to a degree that his hand started to wonder.

Too soon, we arrived at Fangtasia, and the fun was over. For now. Eric helped me out of the car and held my hand as we walked through the back door of the club and into his office. As soon as the door was closed, my back was against it and Eric's lips were on mine.

He had his hands braced on the door on either side of my head, and I had mine on his hips. His tongue swept across my lips, which I parted to allow him access. He seemed determined to have his tongue investigate every single part of my mouth and possibly my throat.

When I needed to breathe he pulled back and rested his forehead against mine. "I want you so much right now." He was panting, despite not needing to breathe. "But I will not have you for the first time in my office. You deserve better than that."

Between the thoughts I'd been thinking in order to try to provoke a reaction and that kiss, I was right in the moment with Eric. I could have been in the middle of the dance floor surrounded by people and not cared about who saw us.

"Come out to the bar. The sooner I get my work done, the sooner we can go home, or dance, if you'd prefer," he said as he took my hand and led me out to the bar. He deposited me in his booth and gave me a chaste kiss before calling Pam over to sit with me. On his way back towards his office, he spoke with a waitress who I could see simpering at him. When she turned away, he looked to me with his lips curled in disgust. I gave him a smile, which he returned before stepping through the door towards his office.

No sooner had the door closed behind Eric than the simpering waitress came over to the table with a tray holding a True Blood for Pam and what looked like a gin and tonic for me. She set the True Blood on the table in front of Pam before turning to me, "Mistress, the Master ordered you a gin and tonic, but told me to let you know that you could have whatever you wanted tonight." Despite the thoughts I could hear running through her head questioning Eric's sanity for being with me, since I wasn't that pretty in her eyes, I gave her a smile and a nod to show that I'd heard what she'd said.

I was considering the double meaning behind Eric's message, but one word of the message stood out to me more than the others. "Mistress?" I asked Pam quietly after the waitress had left the table.

"You are the master's girlfriend, and that makes you their Mistress," she explained.

"It's pathetic the way they simper over y'all," I mused as I watched people practically fall over one another in an attempt to win the attention of their nearest vamp. Pam nodded in agreement.

We chatted for a while, and I listened to the patrons in the bar. The thoughts I was hearing were mostly the same - pathetic people thinking about the vampires, wondering if they would get to have sex with, be bitten by, or better yet, turned by, the particular vampire at the forefront of their thoughts.

There were a lot of thoughts about Eric. It seemed his aloofness and total lack of interest in anyone made him the ultimate goal. And because people had seen him with me on a few occasions, some of the people who were thinking of Eric were also thinking about me, wondering what I did that was different from them that allowed me to 'catch' him. One person was even speculating whether I was doing some kind of magic to snare him since I wasn't as glamorous as other people. I quickly tuned into other thoughts, since hearing nasty things about yourself is a sure way to get you upset, and that person slapped (or in this case, probably killed by either Eric or Pam) pretty quickly.

I did catch a couple of thoughts that stood out for different reasons though. There was an underage boy at the bar asking for a drink. His fake ID must have been good to get past Pam, since she'd had them herself and knew what to look for. Because my telepathy was still a secret, I leaned towards Pam and breathed quietly right into her ear that there was an underage drinker in the bar. I pointed him out, and she was across the room almost before I'd finished speaking.

She put her hand on the boy's shoulder, and he turned with a huge smile on his face at whatever she said to him. He obviously thought he had scored with some mysterious woman. His smile grew wider when he realised that Pam was a vamp (his thoughts were practically screaming that he couldn't believe his luck at being propositioned by a vampire). His smile quickly faded though, when Pam asked him to show his ID again. She made a show of inspecting it thoroughly before tearing it up and escorting him out of the bar with a reminder not to come back until he was old enough.

When she came back to the booth, she sat down opposite me and laughed, "That can be quite useful!"

I nodded, "Yup!" I sat in silence concentrating on the second mind that had caught my attention earlier. "Pam, what do you know about a church called the Fellowship of the Sun?" I asked quietly.

"Not a great deal, other than that they are a bit on the radical side, and believe that all vampires are the devil's spawn. Why?"

"I've just heard that there are some members of that church who can be quite militant, and who are prepared to do just about anything to rid the world of vampires." I was talking a bit louder this time, so I hoped that if other vampires could hear us, they didn't register the warning that I was giving Pam

Pam's eyes widened in realisation, and she asked, "Where?" I indicated with my eyes a man just off to my right who had sidled up to a petite female vampire with long dark curly hair. "Thalia," Pam spoke at normal volume. The petite vampire looked over at Pam, who continued, "You may want to check out lover boy there before you get too closely attached."

I watched as Thalia looked the man in the eye, and stared intently. The man seemed to be in a haze as he pulled out his wallet and handed it over to Thalia, who then rifled through it. She pulled out what looked like a business card, or membership card emblazoned with a sun. I couldn't see what it was, but judging by Thalia's reaction, she'd obviously just found proof that this man belonged to the Fellowship of the Sun. The man was still under Thalia's influence when they both stood and left the club. I had a feeling that that man wouldn't live to see another day, but somehow I couldn't feel guilty about it because he had been planning on staking Thalia as soon as he'd separated her from the rest of the vamps in the club. He'd chosen her because she was so small, and he figured she'd be easier to kill.

I was disgusted at the man for believing he was within his rights to kill someone just because they were different. To me that's all vampires were… different. One of my best friends was a vampire, and my boyfriend was also a vampire, and while I knew that they could be deadly, I also knew that ultimately, they were still people.

I didn't want to think about it any more, so I spoke up, "Bill came to see me this afternoon."

"Compton?" she asked, "Why?"

"Oh, I guess you didn't know. He's my ex," I told her. "It's a long story, and I don't want to go into details now, but anyway, he came to see me this afternoon to tell me that some wealthy businessman has given him a cash offer on the house, and that he would be gone permanently as soon as he's cleared his stuff out of the house."

"So what's that got to do with you?"

"Nothing. He just came round to see if he could get me to sleep with him. You should have seen his face when Eric came down the stairs!"

Pam laughed, "I'd have loved to been a fly on the wall for that one. Eric's anything but subtle!"

"I know! He wrapped his arms around me, kissed me on the neck and showed Bill some fang while telling him he was my live-in lover! I wasn't too pleased with that comment, but Bill's reaction made it all worthwhile. He looked as though he was about to pee his pants, and he couldn't get away fast enough!" I giggled.

"That sounds like Eric!"

"Yeah, Eric the rich businessman who's made a cash offer on a house. Bill's such a greedy bastard, all he thought about was the money he was getting. I'd have been gutted to sell my house since it's been in the family for so many generations."

"He always did strike me as a bit of a bastard."

"I learned that the hard way," I said bitterly. "But the way I see it, I was lucky to have escaped his clutches, and even luckier again to have found Eric." Pam made a gagging motion, and I slapped her on the arm.

We chatted for a while more, with Pam asking about how I was healing from my attack and about my 'progress'. I knew not to give too much away whilst I was in the bar, since vampires have phenomenal hearing, and I didn't want the wrong person to hear our conversation and find out more than they should know. Talking in code was quite difficult, so we changed the subject after a short time.

Pam asking me about how things were going with Eric reminded me of my little experiment, and I started to think again about the different scenarios that I had imagined earlier. I tried to picture them in as much detail as I could without blushing. After a couple of minutes, Pam asked, "Sookie, what are you up to? You have a glazed look in your eye, and Eric has suddenly become very frustrated, and very horny."

I grinned at her, and told her about my little experiment. She found it hilarious, and told me it was working. She was still giggling about it when Eric came storming through the 'staff only' door outside his office into the bar. "I'm off!" she said as Eric arrived at the booth.

"Lover, what are you doing to me?" he asked quietly.

"What do you mean Eric?" I asked innocently, "You've been in your office for the past 45 minutes. Are you done now?"

"I'm done, but you're not." he said with a wicked glint in his eye. Oh boy, I was going to pay for my little experiment.

"Great, can we dance for a bit?"

He held his hand to me, and led me to the dance floor. It was like the parting of the red sea as we neared the dance floor, people automatically made way for Eric as he walked past. When we were in the middle of the dance floor, Eric wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me close to him. I could feel what I had done to him by sending my lusty emotions to him. The evidence was pressed against my stomach.

We moved with the music, grinding against one another, and letting our hands roam all over. I was reminded of our first dance together on my birthday, but this dance was in a league of its own. It was like foreplay, to music. His lips were on mine, and our kiss was urgent and passionate. Our tongues were battling for dominance, and it was only my need to breathe that caused us to break the kiss.

"Fuck, Eric. Take me home," I panted.

The words were hardly out of my mouth, and we were on our way towards the back door of the club. "I thought you'd never ask!"


	27. Chapter 27 First Time

As always, thanks to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for their support & encouragement.

Again, this chapter has not been beta'd, so the mistakes are mine. The characters & locations are not though - they belong to Ms Harris.

Anyway, I think the chapter title says it all here... I can't believe it took them 27 chapters to finally do the deed (what was I thinking!) Poor Eric must have the worst case ever of blue balls..

So, without further ado...

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**Chapter Twenty Seven – First Time**

As soon as we were both in the car, Eric was pealing out of the parking lot. His right hand was resting on my thigh, with his thumb rubbing circles. I returned the gesture and rested my left hand on his right thigh.

Eric's hand started moving slowly upwards and under the skirt of my dress. When his fingers flicked my nub, I let out a loud moan. I shifted my backside forward in the seat and slouched back to give him better access, and my head roll back and closed my eyes. Within seconds, my panties were gone and Eric was working magic with his hand. With the build-up of lust from my experiment and from our dance, it didn't take very long for me to reach the edge.

I tried not to scream out my pleasure since we were in the car, so it was with a silent scream that I came harder than I ever had. It seemed that Eric had the power to make me cum harder every time he pleasured me.

As I started to come down from my high, I idly wondered if it was possible to die from cumming too hard and whispered, "What a way to go!"

"What's that, lover?" Eric asked as he withdrew his fingers. I moaned at the loss and Eric chuckled before loudly sucking them clean.

"Hmm? I was just thinking that death by orgasm would be one hell of a way to go, and that one day you might send me there," I drawled lazily.

I finally opened my eyes, and he was grinning at me. I was surprised to notice that we were almost half-way back to Bon Temps. "You liked that? You've seen nothing yet!" he smirked. I guessed that that was the truth since we hadn't actually gone all the way yet.

"You know fine well that I liked that!" I smiled. A thought that had been running through my head earlier sprang to mind, and I said "In fact, let me show you how much I enjoyed it." I took my seatbelt off and shifted so that I was kneeling on my seat and turned to face him.

I reached across and undid his pants, which were straining at the front. I shouldn't have been surprised when I found that he's gone commando again, my man doesn't like to wear underwear.

Seeing my intention, he reached down and pulled his seat back a notch or two to give me some room.

"Tell me to stop if you can't cope with driving and this at the same time," I said seriously as I leaned over to take him in my mouth. He groaned his response and I heard the engine roar as he put his foot down. I slowly started working my way up and down his shaft, licking and sucking all the while, using my hand where my mouth wasn't touching.

Since he was driving, Eric wasn't really able to buck his hips, so I decided to practice what I'd woken him up with the other day. As I bobbed my head up and down, I took more of him into my mouth on each down stroke. Soon enough, there was no room for my hand, so I removed that, and continued until I could feel him going down my throat.

Eric's groaning had gotten louder as I worked, and now he shouted "FUCK!" His hand went to the back of my head to keep me there as he slowed and pulled over. He whispered, "Stay there, I'm almost done," as he turned to the window to the policeman who had pulled him over for driving so erratically on the deserted highway.

I heard the policeman's thoughts as he realised that I was there, but they went blank almost immediately as Eric caught him in his glamour. Eric's voice was husky as he told the policeman that he'd never seen us, that we would be on our way, and that he was never to pull this car over again.

The policeman slowly repeated Eric's words and stepped away from the car. I swallowed in relief, and Eric groaned as he pulled back onto the highway. That groan was enough to prompt me to restart my ministrations. I was mortified at being caught, but somehow the idea excited me more than it embarrassed me, and since the whole encounter had taken less than a minute, both Eric and I were still in the moment. It only took a couple of minutes more for him to explode with a grunt down my throat.

I swallowed everything he gave me, then slowly removed my mouth, cleaning him with my tongue as I sat back up. I placed a small kiss on the end of his cock before setting him back to rights and sitting back in my seat properly.

He grabbed my hand and gave it a quick kiss on the back before saying, "Lover, you never cease to surprise me. That was…"

"I was just returning the favour," I interrupted with a blush.

"With interest," he smiled, "I'm sorry about the policeman."

"Yeah, you should have let me up," I grumbled.

"I knew we would be stopped for only a short time, and that when he walked away, he wouldn't remember anything about it," he explained, then smirked at me. "Besides, I felt your excitement spike when we were caught. It seems I've found myself an exhibitionist."

"I wouldn't exactly say that, but the thought of getting caught is a bit of a turn on," I admitted.

"I wonder what else you'll find exciting," he queried with his eyebrows raised.

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to find out, Eric," I answered shyly. We were back in Bon Temps now, and I was starting to feel nervous, because I knew what was coming next. I knew I loved Eric, and that he loved me, but everyone's nervous on their first time, right?

Eric gave my hand a quick squeeze, and said, "I love you" rather than acknowledge the nerves that he could obviously sense that I was feeling.

I smiled back at him, "Love you too."

We pulled up around the back of the house, and Eric leaned over to kiss me. We sat making out like teenagers at the local lookout before he pulled away and got out of the car. I sat with my breath heaving while he walked around the car at a human pace to open the door for me. He held out his hand as he opened the door, and helped me out of the car.

As soon as I was on my feet, Eric wrapped his arms around me and kissed me thoroughly. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he carried me into the house, only stopping to unlock the door, then re-lock it behind us.

He carried me up the stairs and into our room, where he gently laid me on the bed and crawled up to lie above me. We kissed passionately for a few minutes; there was no rush, just gentle love being poured into the kiss by both of us. After a while, Eric shifted his knees so that he was straddling my legs, then sat up, pulling me with him. We only broke the kiss to pull my dress over my head. I reached between us and unbuttoned his shirt, moving my hands to his shoulders when I'd finished, pushing the shirt off.

He reached behind me, and undid my bra before pulling it down my arms and throwing it across the room, then he started kissing his way down my body, gently pushing me back to lie down again as he worked his way down towards my breasts. He took one nipple in his mouth, gently nibbling, and scraping with his fangs whilst playing with the other with his hand. When he felt he'd given that one enough attention, he switched sides, and paid the other just as much attention before slowly kissing his way down my stomach and towards where I really wanted him to be.

He settled between my legs, and looked up to me with an intense look in his eye before smiling at me and moving his face down to my centre. He took one swift lick from the bottom to the top, avoiding my nub as he went. I groaned in frustration and I could feel him smiling against me as he repeated the action. He teased his tongue around my centre, and around my nub, but never touched where I wanted him to.

I was about to beg him to touch me when he plunged his fingers into my core, and ran his tongue over my nub. I squealed with pleasure. He kept working me with his fingers and tongue until he brought me to the edge, then he eased off until my breathing had settled a bit. He repeated this another four or five times before I screamed at him, "Eric, please!" soon after I pleaded, he took me to the edge again, this time allowing me to plummet over, biting into my inner thigh as I did so.

Before I knew what was happening, he was back above me, and I realised he must have used vampire speed to rid himself of his pants, because I could feel his length teasing my entrance. I took a deep breath, and nodded when he looked into my eyes for permission.

He eased his way inside me, giving me plenty of chance to adjust to his size. He was so big, I felt like I was going to split in two as he gradually filled me. Finally, he was inside me as far as he could go, and he stopped to watch my reaction to him. He wiped a couple of tears that had spilled out of my eyes away with his thumbs, and kissed me gently. "You OK?"

I nodded and kissed him back. As the passion of our kiss built, I forgot the pain, and began to enjoy the feeling of being completely filled by Eric, knowing that I'd saved myself for someone I loved, and who loved me.

I started moving my hips carefully, not exactly sure if what I was doing was right; but Eric's reaction encouraged me. He moaned deeply, and kissed me even deeper as he started to move his hips with mine. "You're so fucking tight," he whispered, "So good. So right."

I was too busy concentrating on the rhythm of our hips to speak. After a while, Eric reached his hand in between us and rubbed his fingers over my nub, and I could feel the coil of tension building in the pit of my stomach again before it let loose with wave after wave of pleasure that went racking through my body.

The pulsing of my muscles took Eric with me, and we were calling each other's name with voices that sounded almost bewildered. Eric continued to rock his hips while we both came down from our high, and gradually came to a stop. He moved to pull away, but I held him tight, not wanting this to end.

I kissed him and said, "Wow! That was amazing!"

He laughed, which did wonderful things where we were still connected, and said, "I see you have a penchant for understatement, lover. That was the best." The last part was said seriously, and his eyes bored into mine as he said it, forcing me to see the truth there. He knew I was a little insecure about his past experience and my lack thereof, so his sincerity blew me away.

"Really?" I asked, still finding it difficult to believe that out of over a thousand years experience, this was the best.

He nodded, and kissed me before responding, "This has been a first for both of us, Sookie. Neither of us have made love before." I looked at him disbelievingly, so he continued, "I have fucked, lots. But you are the first woman I have made love to, and I find it's much...better… this way."

"I love you," I said as I pulled him towards me for a kiss

"I love you too," he replied before his lips reached mine. We were still connected below, and he started rocking his hips into mine.

We made love three more times before finally separating, then Eric carried me to the bathroom where we lay together in the tub, where I gradually dozed off in his arms.

I was vaguely aware of him carrying me back out to our bedroom and laying me on the bed, and when I felt his hand between my legs I mumbled, "Too much!"

He chuckled quietly and said, "I'm healing you, lover. Sleep. Then we can do this all again tomorrow. I love you."

"Love you too."


	28. Chapter 28 Morning After

Hi all, I'm back!

Something odd has been happening with my email notifications from FF, so apologies if I haven't replied to your reviews. Thank you all for reviewing and adding Blood on Blood to your favourites and/or alerts.

Thanks, as always to **TezyJ** and **Claire **for all of your support and encouragement for Blood on Blood and my other works in progress.

Just as a word of warning, I'm almost caught up now with what I've written, so updates will probably be a little slower from now on, as I'm fighting some mammoth writer's block.

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**Chapter Twenty Eight – The Morning After**

I woke up about half an hour before sunset the next day wrapped in Eric's arms. I needed to pee, so I carefully eased out of his arms, and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I stretched before standing and realised I felt deliciously sore.

As I walked to the bathroom, I felt aches in my muscles where I'd never felt aches before, but nothing unmanageable. When I used the bathroom, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't hurt much down below as I thought I might – I'd heard horror stories about people feeling sore for days after their first time. While I was pondering that, I vaguely remembered Eric saying something about healing me as I drifted off to sleep.

Thinking of Eric and what we'd done last night brought a huge grin to my face. I'd finally done it! I'd finally made love to the man I loved. The man I loved who was still 'asleep' in our bed. That thought pushed all others out of my head. I had to be with Eric.

I climbed back into bed and back into Eric's arms. I couldn't wait for him to wake up. I lay for a while thinking about what we'd done last night with a contented smile on my face. I still wasn't particularly happy about the whole policeman incident, but that was totally overshadowed by everything else that had happened.

I was debating whether to give Eric the same kind of welcome call that I had the other day when I felt his arms tighten around me and his lips against my neck. "Mmm… Good morning Angel. Did you sleep well?" he asked in a husky voice.

"Like the dead," I replied without thinking. I realised what I had just said and groaned. "Sorry! I meant that I slept really well. I've only been awake for a few minutes," I was rambling, and I knew it.

Eric chuckled, "It's OK lover, I don't offend easily."

I sighed with relief, and felt my shoulders relax as Eric's hands worked magic on my shoulders and neck. It was an odd position to get a massage, lying on our sides in bed, but my man could really use his hands. I soon felt like a limp dishrag, and offered no resistance as he pressed his hand onto my left shoulder to turn me onto my back.

No sooner was I on my back than his lips were on mine. The kiss started out slow, but the passion built quickly. My head was reeling when Eric pulled away to say, "How are you feeling, lover?"

My head was so clouded with lust, it took me a few seconds to understand what Eric was asking me. When it dawned on me, I replied with a grin, "Like I lost my virginity last night." He smiled back at me, but I could tell he wanted more, so I continued, "I'm sore, but not unmanageable."

"Good."

"Hey, did you heal me last night, or did I dream that?"

He chuckled, "You have a tendency not to really believe what you hear when you're half asleep don't you? I did heal you. I knew you would be sore today, and I didn't want you to suffer too much."

"Thank you. I'd never have thought of that," I said as I planted a quick kiss on his lips. "It's my muscles that ache more than anything, like I've done exercise that I haven't done before."

"You have done that lover," he smirked, "and you know that when you start a new exercise, you have to keep at it so that your muscles don't seize."

"Is that so?" I asked with a laugh.

"It certainly is," he replied as he kissed me lazily again.

My hands went to his glorious ass, and I began to massage his butt cheeks, feeling the muscles tense and flex as he moved above me. His own hands were wondering, he had propped himself on his elbows, and was allowing his hands to fondle and squeeze my breasts. I groaned and squeezed his butt hard as his thumbs grazed my sensitive nipples.

He took the hint, and slowly started to move his body against me, and I could feel his arousal against my tummy. I moved one of my hands to wrap around his length, and slowly started pumping up and down. I rubbed my thumb over the tip, spreading the moisture that had collected there, and continued to pump my hand, adding a little twist every time I stroked.

Eric's hips had started to move, and now he shifted his weight, and I found that he was perfectly positioned to tease my nub as I played with him. As I worked, I started deliberately moving him in such a way that he was hitting my nub every time he moved. His gentle hip thrusts were almost enough to send me over the edge, but I wanted him in me when that happened, so I shifted my hips a little so that rather than teasing my nub, he was teasing my entrance.

I gasped as he thrust his hips a little harder than before and pushed into me. I was still holding him, so I let go, and closed my eyes as he said, "Fuck, Sookie, you feel so good."

I put my hands back on his ass, and added a little pressure to encourage him to move. He still just had his tip in me, and was using slow, gentle thrusts that brought him out and pushed the tip back in. It was sweet torture. It felt really good, but I wanted him completely inside me. After a couple more minutes of him teasing me like this, I got really frustrated, and squeezed his butt hard. That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed, and he entered me fully with one swift thrust.

I cried out at the sensation, and when he lifted my legs over his shoulders, whilst continuing to thrust hard and fast, I felt a sudden rush of pleasure as the changed angle allowed him to reach a certain spot inside me. I felt my muscles clamp down around him, and screamed his name as my orgasm rocketed through me.

I was still feeling ripples of pleasure from my orgasm when he flipped me over onto my hands and knees and started pounding into me from behind. This way, he filled me even more completely than he had before, and I felt owned by him. I realised that with a start, but I was so lost in pleasure, I didn't really think about it much. I'd have to think about it later.

I could feel myself getting closer, and I could hear Eric growling behind me, that was so _hot_. He reached his hand round and started circling my nub. I was reaching the edge when Eric growled, "You are mine," as he thrust even harder into me.

Any other time, I may have argued with him on that point, but it sounded so hot, it almost sent me over the edge. After a couple more thrusts, he wrapped his hand in my hair and pulled it gently. "Who do you belong to?"

"You, Eric. I'm yours," I gasped.

"As I am yours," he whispered in my ear before biting into my shoulder. His words sent me over the edge, and I came and came for what felt like hours. I felt like I'd left my body when I heard Eric roar his release.

I collapsed onto the bed, and Eric when Eric rolled off me, I mourned the loss. When my breathing eventually settled enough for me to talk, I whispered "What was that?"

"I'm sorry lover; I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me. That was hot!"

He chuckled, "You like it rough, lover?"

"Maybe not all the time, but…. Wow!"

"Wow indeed!" he chuckled, and kissed me on the forehead.

We lay in bed talking and making out for a while before Eric decided that we needed a shower. We got good and dirty in the shower before getting clean again. I was glad I'd changed the hot water tank, because I don't think that cold water and shower sex would go particularly well together.

When we were both completely sated, Eric helped me out of the shower and towelled me off. I really felt like a limp noodle when we went back into our bedroom. I felt like I could just lie on the bed and sleep for a week, but my stomach rumbled, and I realised I hadn't eaten since the day before.

I groaned, and threw on the silky robe that Eric had passed to me before he picked me up and slung me over his shoulder. I shrieked and laughed, hitting his glorious butt all the way down the stairs and into the kitchen, where he deposited me right-side up on one of the chairs. He stepped over to the fridge to get himself a True Blood, and when he opened the door, I spotted a tub of leftover chicken salad from yesterday lunchtime. I asked him to pass me that, and a can of soda.

He passed me my food and drink, and on his way to the microwave, he got me some silverware out of the drawer. I smiled at the domesticity of it. I didn't think he would ever cook me a meal, but at least we could spend our mealtimes together like this.

We sat at the table and had our meals, then retired to the living room to snuggle and watch DVDs. I let Eric choose the DVD and laughed when he picked the box set of Buffy that Pam and Amelia had bought me for my birthday in our junior year.

"I love a good comedy!" he said with a smirk as he put the first DVD in.

I was asleep before the first DVD finished, and only woke a little when Eric carried me to bed and laid a kiss on my forehead before leaving the room quietly.


	29. Chapter 29 Jamming

Oh my word! I've got almost 250 reviews! I can't believe it! Thank you all so much! (Yeah, I know, I'm gushing, but considering I didn't think anyone would actually read this story, I think I deserve it!)

So, despite the fact I said I would be posting a little more slowly from now on, I just had to post this by way of thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favourited or alerted my story – I'm awed by you all.

Special thanks, as always to **TezyJ **and **Claire**, my fabulous pre-readers, and of course to **Charlaine Harris** for dreaming up such fantastic characters. Obviously, they aren't mine, but I really hope she doesn't mind me taking them out for a spin…

Oh, TezyJ finally persuaded me to start using Twitter, so if you want to follow me, I'm there sonyacange. I'm still learning, so please be gentle with me

On with the show….

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Nine – Jamming**

Eric and I settled into an easy routine over the next few days. We'd make love as soon as he woke for the evening (which was anything but routine, because I was learning so much about sex, and what I liked), then afterwards, Eric would head out to Fangtasia and I would usually go to bed until he came home.

I was feeling well enough now to go out and about, so I'd get up during the day to get groceries and change my books at the library. Tray always came with me, and offered to carry my bags if I'd been shopping. My back still hurt a little, so I was grateful for his help, but conscious at the same time that he needed to be able to react quickly if anything happened to me.

I'd finalised my set list for Fangtasia and Eric had agreed to let me sing on the following Friday night. He'd set up a meeting with Silver Moon, the Were band who'd played on my birthday, on Wednesday so that we could discuss my singing with them, and what songs I wanted to do. I was a bit nervous about singing with a band since I'd never done it before, but they seemed quite keen to have me sing with them.

Since I usually sat at the end of the bar at Merlotte's when I sang, I didn't normally wear anything out of the ordinary, but at Fangtasia, I'd have a stage, so I'd really need to make an effort. I decided to call Amelia.

"Hey Meals. When you off work next?" I asked when she answered the phone.

"Tuesday, why?"

"I need your help. I'm playing at Fangtasia next Friday, and I've just realised I have absolutely nothing to wear."

"Sure. You got any idea what look you're going for?" she asked.

"Not really. Eric wants me to wear the dress I wore for opening night, but I don't think I want to wear it on stage. So, I'm thinking somewhere between Avril Lavigne and Amy Lee from Evanescence. I need to fit in with Fangtasia, but I still need to be comfortable."

"OK, we can work with that. I have a couple of places in mind that should have what you need."

"That's fantastic! Thanks Meals. What time should we meet?"

"Say ten thirty? Will you be bringing Tray?" she asked shyly.

"Yeah, ten thirty sounds good. And yes, I will be bringing Tray. Gotta sweeten the deal for you somehow!" I laughed.

"You're kidding right? You know I love to spend money, especially when it's not mine!"

We both laughed at that, and we chatted for a few minutes more before agreeing to meet at the food court in the mall and hanging up.

oOo

On Tuesday, Tray and I drove out to Shreveport in my Audi. It was crazy, since Eric had bought me it, I'd only driven it a handful of times, the rest of the time I was being chauffeured either by Eric or my bodyguard.

On the way to the mall, Tray reminded me, "Sook, just because no-one has tried anything with you for a few days, doesn't mean you aren't still a target. Please be careful today, and be extra vigilant when I'm not with you. It's perfectly possible that a female Were might try to do something to you while you're in the changing rooms where I can't be."

That thought made me extremely nervous, almost enough to stop me from trying anything on; but I knew I needed something to wear for Fangtasia, so I had to go shopping. "OK Tray, I will."

He reached across and patted my knee, "I don't mean to scare you, Sookie. I'm just doing my job, and making sure you know the risks."

I nodded and said, "Yeah, I know."

"Good. Let's change the subject. You got that meeting with Silver Moon tomorrow don't you?"

"Yeah. Do you know any of them? I've never met them before, and I don't know what to expect."

"I know their drummer, a guy called Calvin Norris from Hotshot. He's a great guy."

"But you'll be with me when I meet them, right? Eric won't be up yet, and I don't want to meet them on my own."

"Of course."

By this time, we'd pulled into a parking space, so we got out of the car, and headed over to meet Amelia.

It took some doing, but after a few hours, I found an outfit that I felt comfortable in, but that was suitable for Fangtasia. We'd bought a really short red tartan mini skirt, and a black tank. We'd also bought a pair of red over the knee socks, and I'd wear them with my old Doc Martin boots that I hadn't worn for years.

I was exhausted by the time we'd finished, so I was glad to get home. As soon as we got in, I climbed into bed, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I woke a few hours later to the feeling of Eric's teeth on my nipple. Judging by the state of his arousal, he'd been awake for a while, and he'd decided to nibble me to wake me up. It was one hell of a way to wake up. "Mmm. Morning!" I mumbled sleepily.

"Good morning, lover. You must have been tired, what have you been up to today?" he asked as he slid back up my body to rest above me.

"I went shopping in Shreveport with Meals for an outfit for next Friday night."

"Did you find something?"

"I did, and you're not going to see it until next Friday night," I replied. Eric pouted and I laughed, "Not gonna work, buddy."

"Buddy?" he asked incredulously. I giggled at his reaction and nodded. "I'm not your buddy!"

His tone was one that I wasn't entirely sure wasn't serious, and I started to worry that I might have actually offended him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…." I didn't get to finish my sentence because Eric attacked me with a playful glint in his eye. He was relentless, tickling my sides with one hand whilst pinning my hands above my head with his other.

I was screeching with laughter, and Eric was laughing along with me. I loved the sound of Eric's laugh, and I wished I could hear it all the time, but after a few minutes of tickling me, I couldn't take any more. I tried to catch my breath, and said between gasps, "Eric, you'll have to stop, or I'm going to pee myself!"

Hi tickled me once more, then released my hands and let me up. I bolted to the bathroom, and Eric laughed. He was still chuckling at me when I left the bathroom.

I stood just inside the bedroom door and asked, "What are your plans for tonight?"

"I plan to spend the evening making love to my beautiful girlfriend until she passes out from the pleasure," he said with a smirk.

"Oh really?" I smiled, "prove it!"

And he did.

oOo

The next day, Tray took me out to an old warehouse to meet Silver Moon, the Were band who Eric had booked for the following Friday night, and who I was going to be singing with. The band consisted of four members: Calvin Norris was the drummer, Jerry Falcon was the lead singer and guitarist, Jake Purifoy was the lead guitarist and backing singer and Mel Hart was on keyboards. The guys were all really tough looking, and I was a bit worried that they'd give me a hard time, but they were nice to me from the moment I walked through the door.

We sat at a small table in what was probably once an office and discussed the set list I'd been working on, and fortunately, they were familiar with the songs that I'd chosen, although they hadn't played a couple of them for anything more than fun because the original songs had female vocalists, and they couldn't get them to sound right with their all male band.

Once we'd run through all of the songs I'd chosen, Jerry said, "OK guys, we've got a little over a week to get these songs right. Let's get started."

We all stood and made our way into the next room, where their instruments and amps were already set up. We agreed that we'd do a quick run through of the songs that they were most familiar with first, just to get a feel for things, before starting on the songs that they were less familiar with.

We clicked straight away. The songs sounded great, and they easily adapted to a female vocalist for the songs they already knew. Jerry slipped into a role of backing vocals, and his voice really complimented mine.

After the first run through of the songs, we discussed how we could change things to make them sound even better, working on different parts of each song until we were happy with the results. Once we were happy, we did another rehearsal of the song before we moved onto the next one.

When we finished the first group of songs, we sat back around the table in the other room to have a drink and go through the new songs. I'd brought my laptop with me, so I played my backing tracks for them to hear. The guys all played 'by ear' rather than reading music, so I played each track a couple of times.

After we'd listened to each track a couple of times, I took my laptop through to the practice area and we started working on the first song.

Before I knew it, I'd been there for over four hours, and my stomach was starting to grumble and my back was aching. I looked over to Tray, who'd been sitting on a chair in the practice room tapping his feet to the beat as we worked. He must have been really bored, sitting listening to us singing all day, so I decided to call it a day.

We all agreed to meet at the same time in the same place the next day to continue working on our set before Tray and I left, with Tray carrying my laptop for me.

I was beaming when we left, "Tray, that was great! Thank you so much for staying with me, I know you must have been bored."

"Not at all. You have a great voice, and it works well with the guys," He said with a smile.

"It does, doesn't it? I can't wait for next Friday!" I gushed excitedly.

* * *

I know, I know… I can't wait either, but this just felt like the right place to break the chapter… I won't leave you dangling for too long, I promise.


	30. Chapter 30 Blood on Blood

Seems I wouldn't wait for Sookie to sing at Fangtasia either!

As always, thanks to **TezyJ **and **Claire**, my fabulous pre-readers, for all of their help and encouragement (not to mention helping me out when trying to remember the more obscure names and locations from the books). Also, the characters and locations aren't mine… wish they were, but they aren't.

The lyrics in this chapter come from the song Blood on Blood, by Bon Jovi, which inspired this story. You can listen to the song on YouTube (www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=6E-6L6Sy9GY)

* * *

**Chapter Thirty – Blood on Blood**

The guys and I met every day over the next week and a half for at least a couple of hours, and before we knew it, it was Friday and we were setting up in Fangtasia.

Eric and I had spent Thursday night at his house in Shreveport so that we would be close to the club when the sun set on Friday. I woke up a couple of hours before sunset feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. I was excited to be doing something new, but nervous about it at the same time. Would the Fangtasia crowd like me? Would Eric and the girls like the surprises I'd lined up for them? I didn't know the answer to either question, although the guys in the band had assured me they would.

Because we had to get to the club as soon after dark as possible, I decided to get up and start getting ready. I took a long hot bath, trying to relax a little before my big night. My nerves were really beginning to build, and I just wanted tonight to go well, which it wouldn't if I was nothing but nerves.

While I was in the bath, I shaved my legs and armpits, then I got into the shower to wash my hair. I'd decided to leave my hair down tonight, letting it hang in big loose curls, so when I got out of the shower, I set to work with the rollers that Claudine had insisted I buy for Fangtasia's opening night.

I smiled, thinking back to that night. It was the night that Eric and I first met, and although I'd been intimidated by him, I'd felt an attraction to him.

A lot had happened to us since that night, and although most had been good, we still had things hanging over us. Victor Madden was the biggest of those 'things', and he was something of an unknown entity. I was still scared about what he could do to me and to Eric, but I was determined not to let thoughts of him spoil my night, so I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind.

I sat down in front of the dresser in Eric's bedroom, looking at my reflection and when back to thinking about tonight, silently running through the set list. The guys were going to do a set on their own as they would usually, then they were going to introduce me when they came back after their break. We'd worked hard on the songs and we were really pleased with the way things had turned out.

I was applying my makeup when Eric woke. He came and stood behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders. I smiled at his reflection, and he smiled back before dipping his head to kiss my neck.

"Hmm, morning Eric," I almost moaned.

"Good morning, lover. You look beautiful tonight," he smirked.

I snorted, "Yeah, right! I look like an OAP with my curlers in!"

"You always look beautiful to me," he said as he put his hands on my hips and spun me round on the stool so that he could kiss me. His tongue swept across my bottom lip, and I parted my lips to grant him entrance. The kiss was slow and sensual, and I melted in his arms.

Eventually, I pulled back, "Eric, if you keep kissing me like that, we'll never leave the house! We have to get to Fangtasia soon so that I can get set up."

"I know lover, but I missed you when I woke and you weren't with me," he leaned in for another kiss.

"I'm sorry, baby, but I had to get ready," he quirked an eyebrow at me calling him 'baby', but let it drop. "Go take a shower, and I'll put some clothes out for you, then I'll finish my hair," I instructed, giving him a quick kiss and a gentle push on the chest.

He grumbled, but stepped away into the bathroom. I quickly jumped up and went to his closet, where I'd spotted his leather jeans last night when I'd stored my outfit for tonight. I pulled them out, along with a plain black wife beater and his motorcycle boots, then laid them on the bed. I'd let him choose his own underwear (if he chose to wear any at all).

I sat back down at the dresser, and quickly checked my hair to make sure it was dry before I started pulling out the curlers. I was really pleased with the results, and did nothing more than spray my hair with a bit of hairspray to stop the curls from dropping before I went back to finishing my eye makeup. Eric finished in the shower, and came back into the bedroom, drying off with a towel.

I was determined not to let Eric see this outfit until the last possible minute, so I took advantage of the now vacated bathroom by grabbing my outfit out of the closet, and locking myself into the bathroom while I changed. I dressed quickly, knowing that Eric would be waiting for me, and wanting to see his reaction to my outfit.

I unlocked the bathroom door, and slowly opened it to find Eric standing beside the bed in the outfit I had chosen for him. I stood frozen, staring at the god before me. Seeing him in those leather trousers did things to me, and I felt like I should be mopping up a pool of drool from the sight. I looked up at his face, and saw that his fangs had dropped and he was looking at me with a predatory glint in his eye.

He took a step towards me and said, "Sookie, you look good enough to eat."

I laughed and said, "I was just thinking the same about you."

He closed the gap between us, and gave my cheek a lingering kiss so as not to smudge my lipstick. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, just let me get my boots on, then I'm good."

I put my boots on, and stuffed my lipstick and cell phone into a small purse before taking the hand that Eric offered me, and walking with him to the garage. We were using his corvette tonight, so it was a bit of a delicate operation getting into the car without showing the world my goods.

During the short drive over to Fangtasia, my nerves really started to peak, and my leg was bouncing with anticipation. Eric reached his hand over, and laid it on my thigh, squeezing gently, "Nervous, lover?"

I knew that he could feel my nerves, and realised that he was talking to me so that I wasn't suffering in silence, "I am. I'm just worried that they won't like me at Fangtasia." _And I'm worried that you won't like my surprise_.

"Lover, I've heard you sing, and I know some of the songs you've chosen for tonight. You will be perfect. They will be perfect," he said, looking into my eyes.

I took a deep breath and nodded, giving him a small smile. He smiled back, then turned his attention back to the road.

Within a couple of minutes, we were pulling into Eric's space in the parking lot in Fangtasia, and Eric was helping me out of the car. I was grateful for his help, because without it, the people waiting in the queue may have seen a lot more than they bargained for. I realised how long the queue to get into the club was, and felt a brief moment of panic. "Sookie, you will be brilliant tonight. They will love you. I love you," Eric reassured me as he put his arm around my waist and guided me into the club through the back door.

The guys were already set up, and we just had time to do a quick sound check before the doors to the club opened. I had a radio mic for tonight since I was going to be moving round the stage, so I did exactly that while I did my sound check, making sure there would be no feedback when I was singing.

Once I was satisfied that my mic was working as it should, I stepped off the stage. People were starting to file in, so I went to the bar to get myself a drink before it got too crowded, then went to settle into Eric's booth. I wouldn't be singing until later on when the guys had finished their first set, so I figured I may as well be comfortable.

I let my shields drop as people started milling around, checking to see if there was anything I should be worried about or let Eric and Pam know about, but after a few minutes, I couldn't take any more of listening to the asinine thoughts of the people who came to Fangtasia hoping to be bitten or turned, so I raised my shields once again.

The club filled quickly, and the guys were soon on stage getting ready for their first set. Jerry introduced the band, and they started on their first song. The crowd cheered, and a lot of people made their way to the dance floor, where they moved to the beat of the music, and clapped and cheered at the end of each song. I only hoped that they'd react the same way to me.

I sipped at my drink, and relaxed as best I could while the guys played their first set. Amelia and Pam had joined me and were talking amongst themselves. They'd tried to involve me in their conversation, but had quickly given up when I'd only given them one or two word answers due to my distraction. I was mentally running through the words to my songs again, making sure I wasn't going to forget the lyrics while I was on stage – that was a singer's worst nightmare.

The guys had finished their first set, and were at the bar getting the drinks which had been poured for them when Jerry had signalled to the bartender that the set was almost finished. My heart started to pound with nerves, and I only relaxed a little when Eric came and wrapped his arm around my waist saying, "Relax, lover," and pressed a kiss to my temple.

I snuggled into his chest, taking deep breaths of the scent that was uniquely Eric, knowing that it would go a long way towards relaxing me. Seeing the guys were finishing up their drink & heading back towards the stage, I took one more deep breath, and gave Eric a quick kiss before he let me out of the booth. I strode over to the side of the stage, and got my mic battery clipped onto the back of my skirt then stepped to the front of the stage as the guys started the first song of the second set.

As they played the familiar introduction to the song, I looked over to Amelia and Pam to see their reaction. They looked at one another and then over to me with big smiles on their faces. I was glad, my first song choice was going to go down well with the girls, which is exactly what I'd intended. Because the song was written by a man about his childhood friends, Jerry and I had decided that we'd sing the song as a duet, with him singing the parts that would sound best coming from a male vocalist, and with me singing the rest.

As the introduction finished, I lifted my mic and started to sing,

_I can still remember_

_When I was just a kid_

_When friends were friends forever_

_And what you said was what you did_

This song meant so much to me. It was the song that Pam, Amelia and I had heard that day in the car that led to us becoming blood sisters, and I knew that they would know that I'd chosen the song just for them. The parallels between the song and our friendship were uncanny. I watched Eric's amused face as he took in the girls' reaction while Jerry sang,

_Well, it was me and Danny and Bobby_

_We cut each other's hands_

_And held tight to a promise_

_Only brothers understand_

I had told Eric about the three of us becoming blood sisters, and how Amelia had worked out that somehow the blood magic had lain dormant until he turned Pam, and that was why Pam could now feel mine and Amelia's emotions when they were strong. I was grateful for that now, because without that, she'd never have come back into my life, and without her, there would have been no Eric. I lifted my mic again and sang,

_But we were so young (so young)_

_One for all and all for one_

_Just as sure as the river's_

_Gonna run_

Jerry joined in for the chorus

_Blood on blood_

_One on one_

_We'd still be standing_

_When all was said and done_

_Blood on blood_

_One on one_

_And I'll be here for you_

_Till Kingdom come_

_Blood on blood_

I stepped back a little while Jerry sang the next couple of verses,

_Well, Bobby was our hero_

'_Cause he had this fake I.D._

_I got busted stealing cigarettes_

_And Bobby took the wrap for me_

_Danny knew this white trash girl_

_We each threw in a ten_

_She took us to a cheap motel_

_And turned us into men_

_We were so young (so young)_

_One for all and all for one_

_Just as sure as the river's _

_Gonna run_

I joined back in for the chorus, then Jerry stepped back as I sang the final verse after a fantastic solo by Jake. I really wanted to sing this last verse, and focussed on the girls as I sang it, because it was the absolute truth about our friendship and despite everything that had happened between us over the years, I knew that our friendship would be the one constant. I wanted to convey how much they meant to me with this verse.

_Now Bobby, he's an uptown lawyer_

_Danny, he's a medicine man_

_And me, I'm just the singer_

_In a long haired rock 'n roll band_

_Through the years and miles between us_

_It's been a long and lonely ride_

_But if I got that call in the _

_Dead of the night_

_I'd be right by your side_

_Blood on blood_

_Blood on Blood_

As we'd been practicing the song over the past few days, I'd realised the similarities between the characters in the song and my friends. Pam was my Bobby, she'd gone to law school to become a lawyer, but had met Eric before she had taken The Bar, and Amelia was my Danny, she was a medicine woman in more than one sense, a nurse and a witch who created healing potions.

Jerry joined in for one last chorus before the song ended, and with the dying notes, I said, "That was for my two best friends, I'll always be there for you both." I looked down at Pam and Amelia, and gave them a grin.

The crowd went wild at the end of the song, cheering and clapping, and I was almost giddy with excitement that they'd reacted so well. Eric had a big smile on his face for me, so I gave him a big grin back, then started the next song.

The set went really quickly, and the reaction of the crowd was overwhelming. I'd never had such a reaction to my singing, and I almost didn't want the set to end. I knew that I'd be back to sing at Fangtasia one day, and I hoped that I'd have the guys with me when I did, because they'd been fantastic, and they worked so well with me.


	31. Chapter 31 Fangtasia Rocks

Guys, the response to the last chapter was fantastic! Thank you all so much!

Blood on Blood is one of my favourite songs, and I find it so inspiring. The idea of the last chapter popped into my head whilst listening to the song, and I just couldn't let it drop. I'm so glad you all liked it .

Anyway, on with the next chapter… I know you're eager to find out what song Sookie's gonna sing for Eric. I hope it doesn't disappoint. It took me ages to find something that was appropriate, and hopefully not too cliché.

The usual disclaimer applies – the characters and locations are not mine, but this story is. Thanks to **TezyJ **and **Claire** for pre-reading, and encouraging me to continue when writer's block strikes.

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**Chapter Thirty One – Fangtasia Rocks**

During my set, I developed an uncomfortable feeling of being watched. It wasn't because I was on stage, I was used to singing in front of people and the feeling of people watching me while I sung. This was more intense, like someone was staring at me. I scanned the crowd with my eyes as I sung (I'd learned my lesson before about letting my shields down while I was singing, it made me forget the lyrics) to see if I could see who was staring and giving me that uncomfortable feeling. I knew from Eric that Victor Madden had gone back to Nevada last night, so he wouldn't be here, but I still worried that he may have turned up just to spite Eric.

Eventually, my eyes settled on a really tall, muscular man with a bald head, who was standing at the back of the room with his arms folded across his chest. I could see his eyes tracking me as I danced around the stage. I glanced over at Eric, then flicked my eyes back towards the stranger in the hope that Eric would understand my meaning. Hi did. He noted where my eyes were directing him and gave me a brief nod. He spoke with Tray, who had arrived, and was sitting in the booth with his arms around Amelia, then stood and strode through the crowd toward the stranger with a look of annoyance on his face.

I tried not to watch what was happening whilst I was singing, because I didn't want the distraction to ruin my performance, but I couldn't help but worry when Eric confronted the huge man. Eric stood with his back towards me, and matched the stranger's stance with his arms folded across his chest. The two men stood talking for a couple of minutes before Eric turned and walked towards his booth, shooting a wink in my direction for reassurance. I felt comforted by Eric's wink, and the almost smirk he had on his face, and I was sure that he'd tell me what had happened with the stranger after I was done tonight.

Before long, we'd gotten almost to the end of the set, and I was talking into the mic, "OK guys, this is the last song, and I want to dedicate it to the love of my life, and thank him for having me here tonight. Thank you all, you've been a great audience. I'm Sookie Stackhouse, and these guys are Silver Moon." I gestured towards the guys in the band, then looked Eric in the eye and mouthed 'I love you'. He responded with a panty-incinerating smile and my heart was racing as I started to sing.

_If I told you it was all meant to be,  
Would you believe me  
Would you agree  
It's almost that feeling that we met before  
So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy  
When I tell you love has come here and now_

_A moment like this  
Some people wait a lifetime  
For a moment like this  
Some people search forever  
For that one special kiss  
Oh I can't believe it's happening to me  
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this._

People had started to pair off and dance slowly to the music. I could see Amelia and Tray on the dance floor, and I would have loved to have been in Eric's arms right now, but that's not really practical when you're singing to a club full of people, so I contented myself with watching Eric as I sang.

_Everything changes but beauty remains  
Something so tender  
I can't explain  
Well I may be dreaming but till I awake  
Can we make this dream last forever  
And I'll cherish all the love we share_

A moment like this  
Some people wait a lifetime  
For a moment like this  
Some people search forever  
For that one special kiss  
Oh I can't believe it's happening to me  
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this

I gave in to temptation and beckoned Eric to come up onto the stage. He seemed reluctant, but came and stood at the edge of the stage while I sang.

_Could this be the greatest love of all  
I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall  
So let me tell you this  
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

Some people wait a lifetime  
For the moment like this  
Some people search forever  
For that one special kiss  
Oh I can't believe it's happening to me  
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this

While I sang that last chorus, I held my hand out to Eric, who took it, and stepped onto the stage as I sang the final words of the song.

_Oh Oh Oh Oh  
Some people search forever, oh yeah yeah  
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

I dropped the mic to my side as the final notes of the song played. Eric wrapped his arms around me, and whispered in my ear, "I love you."

I grinned and whispered back, "Love you too!"

He stepped back and took the mic from me. "Beautiful! Show your appreciation for Sookie and Silver Moon," He commanded the crowd, who were already whistling and cheering.

The guys stepped to the front of the stage with me, and we all did a theatrical bow before huddling together. Jerry looked at me and asked, "One more song?"

I nodded and replied, "How about _Bad Things_?" I know it was a bit clichéd, but we'd practiced a few songs together that didn't make the set list, and _Bad Things_ was a song I'd sung many times at Merlotte's. I wasn't sure if the Fangtasia crowd would like it, but I didn't think it would hurt to give it a go.

"Yeah, this lot seem receptive to just about anything you sing. I think they'll like it," said Calvin.

"OK, let's do it!" I said, taking the mic back from Eric as the guys went back to their instruments. "This one's for you too,.." I said suggestively to Eric before lifting the mic and saying to the crowd, "OK, one last song…"

It seemed that the crowd did like the song, if the whistles and cheers were anything to go by.

When the song finished, Eric stepped back on the stage and planted a soul-searing kiss on me. When my toes had curled, and my breath was coming in pants, he pulled away and said, "I can't wait to get you home and do bad things with you!"

I laughed, "Me either!"

Eric took my hand, and led me off the stage, and over to his booth. The girls were both already in the booth with Tray, who had his arms draped over Amelia's shoulders.

Amelia was practically bouncing in her seat, "Sookie that was amazing!"

"It certainly was," agreed Pam, as she shuffled round to the back of the booth to allow Eric and I to sit. "I haven't heard that song in years. It's ironic now thinking about it, how close that song became to our lives."

"I know, I've been thinking about it since I decided to sing it. It's not exactly the same, but you've turned out pretty much like Bobby, and Amelia, you're like Danny. I guess that makes me Jon!" I laughed. Eric raised an eyebrow in question, so I explained why the song was so significant to the three of us.

Tray chipped in, "Ah, now it makes sense! I've been wondering why that song meant so much to you for the last week and a half!"

"It just fits so well, it's almost as if that song was written about the three of us, and I wanted to sing it to let Pam and Amelia know how much they mean to me."

Amelia's eyes filled with tears, "You mean the world to us too, Sook."

"Aww, Meals! Don't cry!" I said, reaching my hand across the table to grab hers, "you'll set me off!"

"Oh please God, no!" said Pam sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "I haven't built an ark, and we'll need one if you two get started. And besides, Eric will probably go all caveman if you start to cry Sookie."

Eric growled in response '_oh, that is so hot!'_ He obviously felt my lust spike, and smirked at me.

"He didn't go caveman with that guy earlier. Who was he, Eric?" I asked.

"It was the tiger, Quinn. He's an events co-ordinator for Special Events, a company who handles supernatural events. He was scouting for someone to provide entertainment at the summit in Rhodes this November."

"Really?" I asked, my voice rising to a squeak.

Eric chuckled, "Yes, lover. He didn't say anything, but I expect that he'll be in touch within the week. You were amazing tonight."

"Oh, wow, Sookie, it would be great if you could do that! I'll have someone besides Eric there that I know!" Pam enthused.

"You're going?" I asked, looking up at Eric, who nodded, "How long do these summits go on for?"

"A week," replied Eric. He must have sensed my disappointment at being without him for a week, so he gave me a little squeeze before adding, "You'll be there with me, even if you're not doing the entertainment. I could use your little talent for a couple of business dealing I want to do, but I wouldn't leave you without protection for that long, and the best people to protect you are sitting at this table."

I melted into Eric's embrace, and just let the conversation flow around me for a while. After a few about half an hour, I stifled a yawn and said to Eric, "Can we go home?"

"Of course, lover. Tray, you can have tomorrow off, we'll go to the Shreveport house tonight, then travel back to Bon Temps tomorrow evening."

Tray nodded in acknowledgement, and I wished everyone goodnight before Eric took my hand and led me out to the car.

The sound of the engine lulled me to sleep, and Eric had to carry me into the house. I woke as he was carrying me up the stairs, and kissed his neck. He groaned, and reached down to kiss me. Our passion ramped up as we got closer to the bedroom. He lay me on the bed, and climbed up my body, kissing me as he went.

"Mmmm, Eric. I love you," I moaned.

"I love you too," he replied kissing the sensitive spot just below my ear. "I love this outfit, but it's got to go," he said as he relieved me of my clothes.

"You're not disappointed I didn't wear the dress?" I asked.

"Not when you chose to wear something as good as this instead," he murmured as he kissed his way back down my body. He settled between my legs, and gave me a smile before slipping his tongue between my folds.

All coherent thought flew out of my brain as Eric brought me to climax twice with his hands and mouth before I couldn't take it any longer, and pulled his hair, "Eric, I need you in me now."

"You don't have to ask me twice!" he chuckled as he stripped off his clothes at vampire speed and entered me with agonising slowness. We made sweet love for what felt like hours before I felt the familiar tightening of another climax.

"I love you, Eric. Bite me," I whispered as the euphoria built up. I flew over the edge when his fangs pierced my neck, and Eric stilled and grunted as he met his own climax.

We lay in a tangle of sheets and limbs, just basking in the afterglow of fantastic sex, until we both fell asleep as the sun rose.

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The song in this chapter was _A Moment Like this_ by Kelly Clarkson (but I'm sure you already knew that!) You can listen to it here; /www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=vSSoMw3R-E8


	32. Chapter 32 Tease

I'm back! Thank you all for adding Blood on Blood to your favourites and/or alerts. I'm still stunned by the response to this story

Thanks as always to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for all of your support and suggestions. And of course, thanks to Charlaine Harris for creating Eric, Sookie and co. Obviously, I don't own them… I just like to take them out for a ride once in a while.

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**Chapter Thirty Two – Tease**

The next day, we called in at Fangtasia for about an hour to allow Eric to catch up on Area business and submit his weekly report to the queen. I sat in the bar with Pam and listened in to the crowd. I heard the usual sexual fantasies from most people, and I was really pleased to hear that there were a lot of people thinking about my performance last night, and how good they thought it had been.

I was smiling to myself, basking in the glory of the really positive thoughts I was hearing about my singing when a dark haired vamp sidled over to the booth where I was sitting. I recognised him instantly, remembering the thoughts I'd seen from Maudette and Ginger what seemed a lifetime ago. I stiffened, but tried not to let my fear show. "You must be Sookie Stackhouse," he sneered. "I've heard all about you and your performance here yesterday."

"What do you want, Victor?" Pam ground out through gritted teeth.

"I was merely introducing myself to Ms Stackhouse here," he leered as he turned back to me, "I'm Victor Madden, Nevada's liaison to Louisiana. I heard about your performance last night, and wanted to find out whether you were available for other bookings."

Whilst his words were civil, his demeanour, combined with the fact that I knew he'd been the person behind my stabbing, left me terrified. I sucked in a deep breath and replied, "Not at the moment. I'm still recovering from major surgery after someone stabbed me and left me for dead."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that, I hope you will feel better soon," his response was so insincere, I don't know why he'd even bothered to open his mouth.

"I'm sure I will, and I know Eric is _really_ looking forward to getting his hands on the person responsible," I replied, hoping to see some reaction.

"Surely the person who attacked you is in prison?" he asked, sounding curious.

I was saved from answering by Eric, who came and stood next to Victor with his arms folded across his chest. "He is, but when I catch the person who put him up to it, they will seriously regret ever thinking about harming what is mine," he growled, with a meaningful look at Victor.

"And they would deserve it," Victor sounded almost smug.

"They would indeed," agreed Pam with a quick wink in my direction.

"What is it you want, Madden?" Eric asked with a hint of anger in his voice, although his face was expressionless.

"I was introducing myself to Ms Stackhouse, and asking her if she was available for other bookings as I'd heard that her performance went down really well last night, and I'm sure my king would love to have her _perform_ in Las Vegas." I'm sure I wasn't the only one who caught his emphasis on 'perform', and the bile rose in my throat at the thought of what 'performances' he and his king might have in mind. I was never gladder that I couldn't hear the thoughts of vampires.

"Well, as she has already told you, she is recovering from surgery, and is under doctor's orders to take it easy. She was only able to perform last night after getting clearance to do so from her doctor. Any future performances will need to be booked well in advance, and the venues and events will be screened by me first," declared Eric with a sharp warning glance in my direction.

Victor nodded, "I see you keep your pet on a tight leash, Northman."

_Pet?_ I was furious, but a gentle kick to my shin and an almost imperceptible shake of the head from Pam made me keep my ire in check. "He does," I replied, smiling my too bright, emergency smile.

"Come, Sookie," said Eric as he held his hand out to me, "It's supper time." He strode away, pulling me with him. As soon as we got into the corridor outside of his office, Eric dropped his façade, and wrapped his arms around me. "Lover, I'm sorry he got so close to you, it won't happen again."

"It's OK, Eric. He didn't do anything to me, but I definitely don't want to have him anywhere near me again. He was so… creepy!" I shuddered and snuggled into his chest.

He kissed my forehead, then pulled away, but kept hold of my hand. "Let's get out of here."

I followed Eric out to the car, and settled myself into the seat when he opened the door for me. I sat in silence while I contemplated the whole 'pet' comment that Victor had made, until I couldn't take it any longer. "Eric?"

"Yes, lover."

"Is that what I am to you?"

"What?"

"A pet?"

Eric looked over at me, and signalled as he pulled the car off to the side of the road. When we stopped, he turned to me, took my hand, and looked me in the eye, "You are not a pet to me, Sookie. I love you. We were fated to be together."

I felt a little better, "I love you too."

"Lover, I can feel that you're upset, but please don't let Madden win. I'm sure that his intention was to hurt you with that comment, and to drive a wedge between us. Please don't let that happen."

"I won't, but I'm still upset by the fact that people will see me as your pet."

"Lover, you must understand, some vampires see humans as inferior, and to be kept as playthings. I am not one of those vampires, and I have never before kept the companionship of a human for longer than a couple of hours. I didn't want to until I met you."

I could see the sincerity in his eyes, so I nodded, "OK, I won't let that bastard get to me."

"That's my girl!"

I smiled, and looked out of the window, "Eric, where are we?" I didn't recognise our surroundings, so I knew we weren't on the road back to Bon Temps.

"I'm taking you out for a meal," he replied. "I have a feeling that Madden may try to follow us, so I don't want to go straight home. Plus, I know you haven't eaten yet tonight, and I wanted to take you somewhere nice to take your mind of him."

My stomach gurgled as he was saying that, and I laughed, "I guess you're right! I do need to eat."

He chuckled, "You do, so let's get going."

"OK!" I said with a smile.

Eric pulled back onto the highway, and about fifteen minutes later, we arrived at a small restaurant named _'Bo's Surf and Turf',_ I was in the mood for steak, so I smiled happily when Eric pulled into the parking lot.

He opened my door for me, and held my hand as I stepped out of the car. He gave me a quick kiss, then wrapped his arm round my waist as we walked into the restaurant. The restaurant was dimly lit, with candles on each table. The kitchen at the back of the restaurant was open, so you could see the chef working. There was a small bar to the left of the door, and there were only about twenty tables. We chose a table against the wall, about half-way back towards the kitchen. Eric pulled my chair out for me, and waited until I was seated before sitting down. _Who said chivalry was dead?_

I ordered a rare rib eye steak and fries with a side salad, and a glass of red wine, while Eric ordered himself a bottle of True Blood. He raised his eyebrow when I asked for my steak rare, but didn't say anything until the waitress went to put in our order. "Rare steak, lover? Are you getting a taste for blood?" he asked with a grin.

"Maybe," I replied. Actually, I normally had my steak cooked medium or well done, so I don't know what made me order rare tonight, but I was almost craving it. I wondered why, and decided to ask Claudine about it, in case it was something to do with my fae heritage. Also, seeing Madden tonight had made me decide to try extra hard to learn how to teleport.

"Lover, you're lost in thought, what's on your mind?"

"I was just thinking about my steak. I normally order medium or well done, I don't know what's made me order rare tonight, but I _want_ it!"

He spoke quietly, "You're developing new powers, Sookie, you are bound to need additional energy, and wanting blood is fairly common in the supernatural world, don't worry about it."

"I know, it's just strange."

"Your body will crave what it needs, in the same way that pregnant women crave certain foods," Eric explained.

I got a mental image of me craving the mud off potatoes, like I'd heard some women crave – _yuk! _"I hope I don't get any weird cravings then!" I giggled.

He grinned and said, "So do I. I don't think I could cope with trying to find chocolate covered asparagus at 4 in the morning!"

For a vampire that didn't eat, Eric sure was able to pick a random food combination! We laughed together, and joked about other random combinations while we waited for my food. When the food arrived, I cut into the steak, and moaned as I took my first bite, "This is heavenly!"

Eric smirked and took a sip from his glass.

"What?"

"Nothing," he replied innocently, "I can't wait to get you home for dessert," he winked.

I flushed with embarrassment, but I was determined to play along. I deliberately took my time with my food, licking my lips suggestively, and moaning quietly every so often. I stifled a laugh when I saw him shift uncomfortably in his seat, and decided to ease his suffering. I cleared my throat, and put my knife and fork down on the plate, "I'm done."

"Not yet, you're not!" he whispered.

"Is that a threat or a promise, Mr Northman?"

"Oh lover, it's a promise," he growled, knowing how much his growl affected me.

I took my napkin off my lap, and dabbed my lips with it before putting it down on the table, and standing up.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I want my dessert," I teased. I heard him mutter something under his breath as he stood. He dropped a handful of notes on the table and grabbed my hand. We were outside and on our way to the car before I had chance to take my next breath.

Eric walked me round to my side of the car, and pressed me against the door with his body. He leaned in and kissed me in the way that only Eric can. He wrapped his arms around me, and without me realising, he opened the door. He pulled away, leaving me panting, and wanting more. With a smirk, he deposited me in the seat, and closed the door behind me, before whipping round to his own side of the car at vampire speed.

I still hadn't got my breathing under control when he put the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. "Eric, that was mean!" I panted, rubbing my thighs together to try to get some much needed friction where I wanted it most.

He laughed, "Always leave them wanting more. Walt Disney didn't exactly earn my respect, making people believe in talking animals, but I believe he was right in saying that!"

"I don't think he was talking about _that_ when he said that," I complained.

"No, probably not, but you can't tell me you didn't enjoy it," he teased.

"You know fine well I enjoyed it, Eric. I can't believe you would leave me like that!" I was still fidgeting, trying to relieve some of the pent up sexual energy that Eric had built up in my body.

He stretched his right hand out to sit on my thigh, "Here, lover, let me help you out." His hand slid up my thigh, and under the hem of my skirt. My stomach clenched at the thought of our last 'session' in the car, but I was beyond caring about being caught, I was just so desperate for some relief.

I sighed was he pushed my panties to the side, and slid his long fingers between my folds. I shifted in my seat to give him better access, and gave in to the sensations of his fingers working me. Eric knew my body so well, he played me like a master musician plays his instrument, and kept me on the brink of orgasm throughout the journey home to Bon Temps.

He had barely pulled the car to a stop before he was round at my side of the car, opening the door and pulling me out. He threw me over his shoulder, and walked at a human pace towards the house.

My frustration was growing at the sudden decrease in speed, he'd driven home at twice the speed limit, so we'd gotten home in half the time it would normally take, and now he decided to slow things down. "Eric, please!"

"Ah ah, lover. You need to punished for that little stunt at the restaurant," he purred.

A sudden bolt of panic ran through me, "p-p-punished?" I squeaked.

"Oh yes, lover. But I think you'll enjoy the lesson I have to teach you." By this time we were in the house, and Eric was carrying me up the stairs towards our bedroom. He could obviously sense my panic because he said, "relax, lover. I won't hurt you."

He set me down gently on the bed, and crawled up my body to give me a toe-curling kiss, not unlike the one he'd given me outside the restaurant. I was panting and feeling weak-kneed when he pulled away, and looked me in the eye, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Eric," I breathed.

"Good," he replied as he disappeared momentarily from above me. He reappeared with two silk ties, and my eyes widened in a combination of fear and anticipation for what he was going to do. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Trust me."

I could only nod as his lips brushed against the spot just under my ear that always left me feeling like a molten pool of lust. His hand wondered around my body before finally landing on my wrist, which he gently raised above my head. He put a little pressure on my arm, and I took it as a signal to keep my hand there while he reached down for my other.

When both of my hands were above my head, Eric straddled my stomach, then reached forward to tie my hands together. He looked down at me and asked, "OK?" I nodded, and he smiled, then gave me a quick kiss on the lips, before reaching forward again to secure my hands to the headboard. When he sat back, I gave a gentle tug on my bindings, and found that I was totally unable to move my hands. In any other situation, I probably would have felt nothing but panic, but the way that Eric was looking at me caused my panic to subside, and I felt nothing but love and trust.

Next, Eric reached to the side and took the other silk tie. He pulled it slowly through his hands, then gently ran the end up and down my arms. The touch of the silk was so feather-light, I could barely feel it, but it only served to heighten my anticipation for what was coming. Again, he leaned forward and kissed me gently on the mouth, before binding my eyes with the tie.

The loss of my sight heightened the rest of my senses, and by this point, the anticipation was unreal, and my breath was coming in short pants. Eric shifted his weight off my body, and because he had the ability to move stealthily around the room, I had no idea where he was (I could have tried to sense him with my extra ability, but I decided not to try, because I didn't want to spoil the game). After what felt like hours, but was probably only a couple of minutes, I felt him gently pull my legs apart, and kiss my right ankle. I groaned at the sensation, and was looking forward to more, but he'd disappeared again.

Next, he kissed me on the forehead, and I strained to reach his lips with mine, but he moved again. He continued to play this little game, moving in for quick kisses all over my body before disappearing as quickly as he'd appeared, for a while longer, before I felt and heard him rip my dress from my body. I heard a quiet groan from him as my dress fell open, exposing my body to him. "You are so beautiful," he whispered.

A few more kisses to my newly exposed skin, and Eric tore off my underwear. Seconds after tearing my panties off, Eric laid a kiss on my lips. This time, instead of pulling away, he allowed me to deepen the kiss. When I moaned, he pulled away again. "Eric!" I panted. "I need you!"

"You are being punished, remember."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for teasing you." I felt totally exposed lying naked on the bed with my hands tied, my eyes covered, and my legs opened wide, but I trusted Eric implicitly. He ran a finger over my lips, and I leaned forward a little to suck it into my mouth, and swirl my tongue around his finger tip. I could hear him try to suppress a groan.

I felt the end of the bed sink under Eric's weight, and moaned out loud as his tongue ran swiftly through my folds, circling my nub before disappearing again. Next was a nibble on a nipple, then the scrape of fangs against my breast. He'd barely touched me where I really wanted him to, but by now, I was ready to explode.

The bed shifted as Eric did, and I felt his body move over mine, but he kept just out of my reach. He ran his finger over my lip again, and I opened my mouth to suck it in again, but this time, I realised that it wasn't his finger. I moaned as my tongue darted out to taste Eric's unique flavour. I opened my mouth a little wider to take his length into it, and started to lick and tease him with my tongue. He groaned and started gently thrusting into my mouth, being careful not to push me too far.

I gasped then, as his fingers plundered my centre, and his tongue worked my nub. I'd been on the edge for so long now, it didn't take much to send me soaring. My near constant moaning must have been doing something good for Eric, because it didn't take long for him to shoot his seed down my throat. I gladly swallowed everything he had to offer.

When we'd both calmed down somewhat, Eric shifted again, and kissed me full on the lips. I could taste myself on him, and I knew that he could taste himself on me, but somehow, it just made the kiss all the more intimate. "You are amazing, lover," he whispered reverentially to me as he loosened the binding around my eyes and hands. "I love you."

"I love you too," I replied breathlessly.

He lay down beside me, and pulled me in towards him for a cuddle. I lay with my head on his shoulder, my arm across his chest, and my legs tangled with his. He drew lazy circles on my back, while I rubbed my hand up and down his arm, and we savoured the moment together. With the events of this evening, Victor Madden was back at the forefront of my thoughts, but I really wanted to enjoy my peaceful times with Eric. I knew that we would have to do something about Madden, and soon, but decided that for now at least, I wasn't going to think about him, because I didn't want to ruin my bliss.

Eric started to hum quietly, and it wasn't long before I fell asleep in his arms.


	33. Chapter 33 Booked

Hi guys,

Time for another chapter of Blood on Blood – thanks to all of my readers for the support you give me, the reviews, alerts and favourites make my day! I should also give my thanks to **TezyJ **and **Claire **for being such wonderful friends, and giving me their support and encouragement. (Come to think of it, you should all thank them, because without their encouragement, I wouldn't have published this story!)

Of course, I don't own the characters, or the locations, but I wish I did.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Three – Booked**

The next few weeks flew by. After our encounter with Victor Madden, I was even more determined to develop whatever other fae powers I might have that would help protect us from him. I asked Claudine to come over to help me, and we spent a couple of hours each morning working on both the theory and practice of fae powers.

We spent 30 minutes every day meditating in the hope that it would improve my ability to teleport. It was Claudine's belief that I wasn't able to teleport yet because I wasn't fully focussed, as doubts kept creeping into my mind. Every other fae was born and raised in an environment where teleporting was as common as walking, and they had no doubt that not only was it possible, but that they could do it, but they also practiced meditation daily to improve their focus and improve their accuracy when teleporting.

Claudine thought that meditating might help me too, and I was so determined to succeed, I agreed to try. To my surprise, I found that meditating helped my telepathy. The more time I spent meditating, the easier it was to block everything else out, including other people's thoughts, and eventually, blocking thoughts became almost instinctual, taking no effort at all.

After meditating, we spent another 30 minutes practicing teleporting. At first, I still felt silly, because nothing happened when I pictured myself in another room in the house. But, after a couple of weeks, I managed do teleport from the living room into the kitchen. I was so excited that I'd managed to do it, I think windows may have shattered from the squeal I let out. Once I'd done it once, I realised that it was indeed my doubts that had prevented me from doing it, and now that I'd done it once there was no stopping me. From that point onwards, our daily teleporting sessions were about 'flexing my muscles', gradually teleporting further and further.

The rest of my time with Claudine was spent talking about other fae powers, and what else I might develop. Nothing else had manifested as yet, but Claudine told me that it sometimes took years for powers to develop.

Being able to teleport made me feel a lot safer. At least I knew that if anything happened, I would be able to get away from Victor, but I didn't want my ability to draw attention to me unless I had no other choice. Tray had also offered to teach me some self defence moves, which made me feel even more confident that I had some way to at least fight any attacker off.

Because Claudine was spending the mornings with me, Tray was able to take the mornings off from his bodyguard duty, and was using the time to perform all of the admin for his motorcycle repair shop. (I was paying for him to employ a full-time mechanic, since he was spending so much time with me, and I didn't want his business to suffer because of it). He'd come over to the house at lunch time, and I'd prepare lunch for us, then we'd spend an hour or so together, going over the moves he taught me.

After my self defence class, I did my chores, then went to bed for at least a couple of hours before Eric woke. My new routine allowed me to spend as much time with Eric as possible, while allowing me to see my friends. Even Jason had called round for lunch a couple of times.

Only a couple of nights after my night at Fangtasia, Eric came home with a huge grin on his face, and a large manila envelope in his hand.

"What's got you so happy?" I asked him.

"As expected, Quinn came to see me today to discuss booking you for the entertainment at the summit in Rhodes in November."

"Really?" I squealed.

Eric chuckled, "Really really."

I laughed, "OK Shrek! What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I would speak with you, of course."

I launched myself at him, and he easily caught me as I threw my arms around his neck, and my legs around his waist. "Thank you, Eric. I'm so excited! I can't believe they want me to sing at an event like this!"

He kissed me, "Don't thank me, lover, it's your talents that they're after, and that is nothing to do with me." We talked a little more about the booking, and I asked if it was just for me, or if it was for the guys too. "I believe it was primarily for you, lover, but I'm sure you could negotiate to allow them to play too, if that's what you want."

"You think?" he nodded. "Great, I know I'd prefer to sing with them. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable getting up in front of that many people on my own." I paused, thinking for a while before saying, "Eric, would you help me negotiate with them? Then I can get Mr C. to check over whatever contract they give me before I sign it."

Eric looked really pleased as he kissed my forehead and declared, "I would be honoured, lover."

I kissed him full on the lips, and our hands were starting to roam when I remembered the envelope that Eric had brought home. I pulled back a little, "What's in the envelope, Eric?"

He grinned at me, and sat me down on the sofa, sitting down next to me. "It's the investment details you asked for for Fangtasia." He handed me the envelope.

Inside was a glossy brochure with the Fangtasia logo in what looked like red neon lighting on a black background. I started flicking through it. There was a 'who's who' section, with pictures of all of the senior staff members, and a brief paragraph about each of them. There were facts, figures and graphs relating to the bar, and a section about their planned expansions, both into the building next door, and into other areas, like merchandise.

"Wow, Eric! It looks like Pam's put a lot of work into this."

He nodded in agreement, "It's worth it to get some decent investment, and I'm sure you'll agree that it's a worthwhile proposition."

I nodded as I continued to flick through the brochure, pausing on the merchandise page when I spotted the words 'Hunks of Fangtasia Calendar'. I burst out laughing, "Really, Eric?" I asked pointing at the page.

"Why not? I'm sure there will be a lot of women, and probably men, who would like to buy such a thing." He struck a pose. "Who could resist something which held pictures of me?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laughed, "You're too much, you know that? I hope you're not gonna get naked for this calendar, because your body is _mine_, and no-one else is allowed to see it."

He considered for a while, and said, "How about the suggestion of nudity? You won't be able to see anything, but it'll look like I'm naked."

"Yeah, that could work, and sometimes the picture you imagine is better than the real thing anyway." He raised his eyebrow, and I rushed to continue, "Not that I'm saying that about you, but maybe for some of the other guys…" I trailed off, thinking I may have offended him.

He screwed his face up, "I believe you're right, lover. I would imagine that a fully naked picture of Clancy would stop the calendar from selling, even if I was in it. But, I have heard that the ladies love his ass."

Really? I couldn't imagine anything about Clancy being seen as sexy by anyone, but maybe I was biased, and I'm sure nothing could compare with Eric's ass. I'd have to check Clancy out next time I saw him!

Eric must have felt my surprise and intrigue (and I'm sure it must have been written clearly across my face), because he growled quietly, "I think I'll have a calendar made especially for you, with pictures only of me. I don't think I like the thought of you checking anyone else out."

I kissed him hard, "mmm… that sounds perfect. I don't think I want to check anyone else out either."

"That's settled then," he stated as he started to kiss my neck. When I moaned, he pulled away, "Much though I'd like to continue, there is much we need to discuss."

I groaned, "What about?"

"Rhodes," he answered firmly.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and licked from his chin to his ear, then whispered, "You really wanna talk about that now? I know there's something else _I'd_ rather be doing, and we can talk later." I started nibbling on his earlobe, "and I'm sure you're hungry."

"I am, but we need to talk about this, Sookie. It's about your safety, and there's nothing more important to me than that."

I huffed in frustration, but I knew I wasn't going to get my way until Eric had said his piece. I gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, then sat back, "OK, talk."

"I'm sorry, lover, but this is important. We've discussed before about how vampire-human relationships are normally seen by vampires. While I love your feistiness, other vampires will see it as a weakness on my part for not controlling you well enough."

I nodded. The last thing we wanted was for Eric to appear weak in the eyes of other vampires, especially if Victor Madden was around. "I know, Eric. When we're around other vampires, I need to be like a Victorian child – speak only when spoken to, and be seen and not heard."

"That's pretty much it. We also need to keep your gift hidden. If other vampires find out about it, they'll want to take you as an asset, and while I'm older than most, if any of my superiors decide that they want you, I won't have any choice in the matter but to let you go to them."

I was incensed, "What if I don't want to go?"

"That won't make any difference, lover. The few who are older, and those who are my superiors, are often stuck in the old ways, where it was fine to take and control a human without their consent. But if we keep your gift a secret, I'm confident it won't come to that."

Far from feeling reassured, I asked. "What if it accidentally comes out? I'm still new to it all, and although my meditation has helped control it, I still have the occasional slip-up and answer a thought instead of a spoken word."

"We will worry about that if it happens, lover, but in the meantime, continue to work with Claudine to see if you can gain a more complete control over your skills. I know that you've improved dramatically over the past few weeks, and we still have a couple of months until Rhodes. I have every faith in you, my angel."

As Eric pulled me into a kiss, I couldn't help but hope that he was right.


	34. Chapter 34 New York, New York

Hi guys, I'm back! I think this is the longest chapter I've written yet You'll see why when you read it! I don't know what it is about Eric, Sookie & Lemons that makes me want to write…. This chapter sees Sookie try out something new – I hope it doesn't offend anyone, but I should say now that this is just the beginning… there's more where this came from, and it does get a little 'stronger' as the story moves on, but I hope I've handled things with taste.

Anyway, I'm sure you're dying to move on to the lemons, so I'll give my usual thanks to everyone for reviewing, following and favouriting – you make my day. Also, thanks to **TezyJ **and **Claire** for being such wonderful pre-readers. And of course, thanks to Charlaine Harris for creating such wonderful characters – gotta love that woman! Obviously, I don't own the characters or the locations, but I do take Eric and Sookie up north for a while...

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**Chapter Thirty Four – New York, New York**

The next few weeks were spend preparing for the Halloween party that we were hosting at Fangtasia. I'd decided to invest, and with my extra money, we were able to expand into the building next door as Eric had planned.

Halloween was to be the opening night of the newly expanded Fangtasia. We'd managed to keep the club open by renovating the new area separately, before finally knocking through between the original bar and the new one on the day before Halloween while the club was closed.

We'd decided not to advertise the expansion of the club, preferring instead to surprise out guests when they arrived for the party. We knew that word would soon spread, and that would bring in more customers. The two areas would work together, or separately, with the new, larger area, split into a 'live lounge' where we could have live music, and a smaller, VIP area which had its own private bar and was much quieter than the rest of the club.

Eric had chosen to permanently reserve a booth at the back of the VIP area for us to use when he didn't need to be in the main bar 'enthralling the vermin' as Pam so politely termed entertaining the human guests. The booth that he chose was somewhat secluded, and would allow us to have 'private moments' as Eric called them with his signature smirk. I still wasn't sure about that, but I knew that Eric wouldn't force me into anything I was uncomfortable with.

In addition to overseeing the expansion of the club, sending out invites to the party and arranging catering and decorations, we also had to decide on costumes. We'd discussed various options, and at first, Eric talked about separate costumes, but I persuaded him that matching outfits would work better for us, because it would send out a clear signal to everyone who attended the party that we were together.

Once we decided that our outfits should match, we spent a few hours trawling the internet for idea. We laughed at some of the options, "How about we go as Fred and Daphne?" I giggled, "Then Amelia could go as Thelma, and Pam could be Shaggy!"

Eric chuckled, "and Sam could be Scooby-Doo." I shot him a sharp look, "I'm sorry, lover, but I can't see Pam dressing up as Shaggy, can you?"

"No, but it would be hilarious!" I laughed.

"That it would. Perhaps I should reserve it as a punishment for her…"

I let that one drop. "What about Tarzan and Jayne?" I suggested. The thought of Eric in a loin cloth did things to my girly bits.

Eric raised an eyebrow, "Could you handle me in a loin cloth all evening, lover?"

"I could handle you alright, Eric," I teased. "But I'm not sure I could cope with everyone else gawking at you all night."

He nodded, "OK. Something else then?"

"Han Solo and Princess Leia?"

"Only if you wear the outfit she wore when she was captured by Jabba the Hut."

"No way, Eric! I am not exposing that much skin in public!"

He kissed me, "You make a very valid point, lover. Only I should get to see you exposed in such a way… one for the bedroom, I think," he said with an eyebrow waggle. "Yes, I could see those chains being quite exciting for both of us."

I shuddered, a ripple of pleasure running down my spine at the thought. I had enjoyed being at Eric's mercy when he tied me up in the bedroom, and wouldn't mind trying it again.

Eric sensed my emotions, "Do you like that idea, lover?" I blushed, and gave him a slight nod. "Hmm, definitely one to think about," he mused.

Desperate to get the conversation back on track, I asked, "Do you have any ideas for costumes? I'm seriously beginning to struggle now. Remember that whatever we wear I have to be comfortable with. I know that you have no modesty when it comes to nudity, but I do."

"Hmm…" He thought for a while, then said, "How about you go as Freyja, and I go as Thor? While they don't strictly go together, they were both members of the Norse pantheon, and I think you'd make an excellent Freyja."

"Wow that sounds like a brilliant idea. Can you show me a picture?" He searched the internet and showed me pictures. It was perfect. "That's exactly what I was looking for, but where can we get costumes from?"

"To be truly authentic, we're better off getting them made," he replied. "I know an excellent costumer in New York who would be able to make them for us."

"But they're in New York, and we're in Louisiana."

"That's no problem, lover. I think it's time we had some time alone away from home," he said, whipping out his cell phone.

He placed a call with Louis, the costumer in New York, and arranged for us to visit him the next day. I was glad I didn't work any longer, because I'm sure Sam wouldn't have been happy at me needing time off work at short notice again. I was also looking forward to heading up to New York, because it was the first time I'd been there, and I was excited to see the Big Apple.

Eric spent the rest of the night arranging transport and accommodation for us both, while I packed some clothes for us, glad that I'd bought a new luggage set a few days before hand in preparation for Rhodes.

oOo

There was a knock on the door at 10.30 prompt, the following morning. I checked the peephole, and reached out with my mind to check that the person on the other side of the door was who I thought it was.

Once I was satisfied, I opened the door, and my eyes swept over the logo on the van outside. It matched the one on the travel coffin that had been delivered last night, and that now sat in my living room, holding Eric's dead for the day body.

Eric had explained that even before the Great Revelation, there had been supe-run companies specialising in accommodating the needs of the supe community, and that Anubis Air had expanded rapidly to cater for the travel needs of vampires and their companions. Their huge growth had been made possible by the fact that vampires no longer had to hide, and that they were willing to pay whatever price necessary in order to ensure safe passage to their destination. It didn't hurt either that most humans still felt a little uncomfortable about being in an enclosed space like an airplane with a vampire, and that because of that, the major airlines hadn't gone out of their way to accommodate them.

Two huge men stepped into the living room and carried Eric's coffin into the back of the van, while a third collected out luggage.

Even without looking into their minds, I could tell they were shifters of some sort, because no human would be able to carry Eric like that. I peeked into their minds and found that the three men were all Weres.

Once the two men had situated Eric in the back of the van, one of them came back to the porch to wait with me while I set the alarm and locked the door. He offered me his arm, "If you'd like to follow me, Miss."

I smiled, and took his arm as he walked me down the steps towards the van. I wondered if all of their customers got this kind of treatment, so I peeked into his mind again. I found that by being in contact with him, I could read his thoughts almost as well as a human's. He was treating me extra nice because he was a little afraid of Eric, but also because he was a friend of Tray's, and Tray had asked him to keep an eye on me.

"I'm Tony, by the way, and this is Jeff and Paul," he introduced himself, and gestured towards the other two men who were now sitting in the front seats of the van.

I smiled and thanked him as he helped me into the van. We all chatted pleasantly on the way to Shreveport airport. When we arrived, we drove past the main entrance to a service entrance where a security guard checked all of our names on a list, then stepped aside to allow us to drive into an Anubis Air hangar that was bustling with activity.

I watched as they loaded Eric's coffin onto the plane, then took Tony's offered arm again as I climbed the steps to board the plane. I took my seat, and raised a confused eyebrow as Tony discreetly sat a couple of rows away.

"I'm providing a little extra security for you until we arrive at your hotel. Then I'll be collecting another passenger for a flight to New Orleans," he explained when he saw my confusion.

"Oh, right," was my lame response. Honestly, I was still tired from my lack of sleep last night and too nervous about my first flight to be able to frame a better response.

A flight attendant came to check my seat belt as the plane started taxiing towards the runway. She noticed my white-knuckled grip on the armrests and asked sympathetically, "Don't like flying?"

I shook my head and spoke through gritted teeth, "I've never flown before."

"You'll be fine," she said, patting my hand, "I'll go and get you a drink to help settle your nerves. What would you like?"

I thought about it. It was only lunchtime, and I would never normally drink this early, but I did think a drink might help, so I ordered a gin and tonic. She smiled and quickly brought me my drink, waiting for me to down it before settling herself into her seat for takeoff.

Once we were in the air, she brought me another drink, and my nerves settled enough for me to take a nap. I woke a couple of hours later feeling more refreshed, and unbuckled my seatbelt so that I could go and use the bathroom. Looking around the tiny room, I wondered how people were able to join the mile-high club. The room was so small, I didn't think two people would fit in it, let alone get hot and heavy in it. Frowning at the thought, I washed my hands and went back to my seat.

I spent the rest of the flight daydreaming about our costumes. We were meeting with Louis at 9PM tonight, then spending a couple of nights in New York before going home. Eric had emailed Louis some pictures last night, and had given him our sizes, and Louis had promised to have some ideas ready for us tonight. Eric had told me that Louis was a costume designer on Broadway, and that he was the best there was, so I was really looking forward to seeing what he had in mind for us.

The flight landed, and I eventually peeled my hands off the armrests when Tony stood up. He stood with me as the crew gathered the luggage and loaded it into the awaiting Anubis van, then supervised them as they loaded Eric's coffin too. Once everything was safely in the van, Tony escorted me into the back seat and we were soon on our way to the hotel.

New York traffic was like nothing I'd seen before; it just seemed to be nose to tail all the way. We eventually arrived at the hotel, and Tony waited while I checked in. The bellhop took my luggage and I waved goodbye to Tony as the elevator door closed.

The bellhop showed me to our suite, and I was pleased to see that Eric's coffin had already been placed in the bedroom. After he'd shown me around the suite, the bellhop stood expectantly by the door. I rifled through my purse, looking for some money, then handed him a ten dollar bill. I wasn't sure if it was enough, but he seemed pleased enough as he left the room.

I stepped into the bedroom, and made sure the light-tight shutters were in place before stripping off and stepping into the shower. I had hardly done anything all day, but the travel had left me feeling grimy, and I was carrying a log of tension in my neck and shoulders following the flight. I let the hot water run over my back, and could feel the tension melting away. When I had relaxed, I washed up, then turned off the water. My hair was still dry because I had it in a messy bun, so I wrapped a towel around myself, then went to lie on the bed.

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, I was being woken by feather-light kisses all over my face. "Good evening, lover. I trust you had a good journey?"

"Mmm… yeah, it was good," I yawned. "The flight was a bit… different," I said, struggling to find the right words.

"Different?"

I sat up and stretched, "Yeah. I haven't flown before, so I was a bit nervous. But the flight attendant got me a drink to settle my nerves, and once we were in the air I managed to take a nap."

A look of sadness crossed Eric's face, "I'm sorry I couldn't be with you."

"It's OK, honey. I don't mind. In fact, in some ways, I'm glad you weren't there to see me make a fool of myself," I smiled.

Eric huffed, unconvinced, then tugged at my towel, "You showered without me."

"I did. I was feeling grubby after travelling, so I decided to shower, then I came for a lie down and I must have fallen asleep."

"And what a sight it was to wake up to. You, wearing only a skimpy towel, fast asleep on the bed. It was all I could do not to take you then and there, you looked so beautiful," he said huskily as his hands started to roam.

I gasped as his fingers found my centre. I'd forgotten just how short my towel was when I sat up with my legs bent. Of course, I was naked underneath the towel, and the way I was sitting gave him total access to my centre. He worked his fingers in and out of me, and rubbed his thumb on my clit. I threw my head back and closed my eyes, and was soon desperate for release. When I was on the edge, Eric stopped and withdrew his fingers. My eyes flew open, shocked that he'd stop and leave me hanging like that.

He grinned lazily, and sucked his fingers into his mouth, "Delicious!"

"Eric!" I wailed.

"Patience, lover. I have something for you," he said as he produced a small box, and opened the lid to reveal two silver balls joined together with a length of string.

I looked at him, puzzled, "What…"

"They're love eggs. We put them in here," he told me, quickly fingering my entrance. "They build up your pleasure until you're beyond desperate for me. I'd like you to wear them tonight, then when we get back from seeing Louis, I will give you what you want."

"I don't know, Eric… I've never used sex toys before. And you've just worked me up so much, I don't know if I could take it."

"Trust me, lover, you can take it. And I promise, if it gets too much, you can take them out." His look was so sincere, yet excited, I couldn't deny him.

"OK, I'll wear them."

"Excellent! Now come here," he instructed as he kissed me, then positioned me on all fours, so that he could insert the love eggs. Once they were in place, he gave me a slap on the backside, then stood and walked into the bathroom. "Get ready, lover, we have reservations in less than an hour."

I jumped down off the bed and had to stifle a groan at the sensation of the eggs moving inside of me. I swear I saw Eric smirk as he stepped into the shower. Maybe this was his payback for my 'experiment'. Well, if it was, I was going to enjoy it, and I was determined to stick it out for as long as possible.

I moved slowly around the room, pulling my clothes from the case that I hadn't yet unpacked, and setting my makeup on the vanity. Every movement I made caused a delicious sensation, and I was half tempted to dance around the room, but I knew that if I did that, Eric would win his little game, so I kept my movements slow and careful.

I slowly got dressed, and was sitting at the vanity with a blissed-out look on my face when Eric left the bathroom. I realised that now I was sitting still, the eggs weren't moving so I was able to cope better, but I still had a pleasantly full feeling that I normally only got from Eric. This was going to be a long night.

Eric came and stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders, "Are you OK, lover?"

"Mmm, yes thank you," I grinned and turned my head towards him for a kiss.

"Would you like me to braid your hair?" he asked, surprising me.

"If you'd like to," I replied. He reached forward for my hairbrush and made quick work of putting my hair into an intricate braid I would never have managed myself. When he finished, he kissed my shoulder, and I realised he hadn't eaten yet. "Are you hungry?" I asked, tilting my head to expose my neck to him.

"Later, lover. For now, we must go to the restaurant, then to see Louis."

He took my hand and we left the room. We walked a couple of blocks to an Italian restaurant that I'm sure Eric had chosen because it was within walking distance. With each step, I was feeling more and more turned on, and I know I moaned more than once. Each time I did, Eric looked down and asked if I was OK. Each time, I nodded, unable to say anything for fear of losing control of my mouth. We'd learned that I could be quite vocal when I was, erm, stimulated.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, I felt ready to explode, so I was pleased when we were shown straight to our table. I'm sure that me having an orgasm in the middle of a packed family restaurant wouldn't have gone down too well with the other diners. The hostess handed us our menus, and stared a bit too long at Eric for my liking before walking away.

I was breathing heavily, and Eric reached across the table to take my hand. "Are you OK, lover? You can go and remove them if you can't cope."

"I'm OK now I've stopped moving so much. Did you make us walk on purpose?" his smirk gave me my answer, "Thought so. We're getting a cab to see Louis."

"As you wish, lover," he responded as the waitress came to take our order. Because I had been trying to calm down, I hadn't had chance to look at the menu, so I ordered the first thing I laid my eyes on – steak.

When the waitress asked me how I'd like my steak cooked, I looked Eric in the eye and said, "Rare please." Eric smiled, remembering the last time I'd had steak when we were out for a meal.

Eric ordered his blood, and a glass of red wine for me, never taking his eyes off me. When the waitress left, I narrowed my eyes at her retreating back, and Eric chuckled. "What?" I asked.

"I love possessive Sookie," he grinned.

"Well, she's got no right to look at you like that. You're a person, not an animal at a zoo. Did you see how she pushed her chest out, trying to catch your attention? I mean, it's as if I wasn't even here."

"I did notice, lover, but her breasts have nothing on yours. Yours are the most perfect breasts I have ever seen."

I looked into his eyes and could see his sincerity, and it sent a jolt to my already over stimulated centre. I dropped my eyes to the table, and shifted uncomfortably, only to realise too late that moving would only make my situation worse. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm myself again. I couldn't wait to get out of this restaurant, see Louis and get back to the hotel. I thought, not for the first or last time _this is going to be a long night._

My food arrived soon afterwards, and I distracted myself, not altogether successfully, with my meal. The way Eric was staring at me with such intensity wasn't helping at all.

Finally, I finished my meal, and Eric left a handful of notes on the table before taking my hand and leading me out of the restaurant. He pulled me into the alley beside the restaurant and pinned me against the wall. He kissed me until my breath came hot and heavy, then pulled back saying, "I can't wait to get you back to the hotel. The scent of your arousal is driving me crazy." He punctuated his statement with a thrust of his hips, which pressed his erection against my stomach.

I moaned and hitched my leg against his hip. The movement caused a wonderful sensation, and my clit was now rubbing against his erection. "Oh God, Eric," I panted. It wasn't going to take much to tip me over the edge.

Seeing this, Eric gently set my leg back down, and briefly kissed my forehead before saying, "Come, lover. We must go and see Louis."

I felt like stamping my foot like a five year old, I was so frustrated. So many times tonight had I been _this close_, only to have Eric back off. He grabbed my hand and pulled me back onto the main street, where he hailed a cab. When we were seated in the cab, I squirmed, trying to find a position that didn't leave me aching.

Eric leaned down to my ear and whispered, "Sit still, lover, you're only making it worse."

Once again, I was reduced to monosyllables, through gritted teeth, and between pants, "I'm… try…ing!"

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me to him, so that my side was flush against his. He kept a firm grip on me to keep me from wriggling and I breathed a sigh of relief as the sensations settled a bit.

The next hour was a nightmare. I had to try on various sample costumes that Louis had until both he and Eric finally approved one. Each movement I made took my sexual tension up another notch, and by the time they had agreed on my costume and Louis had taken my measurements, I was ready to combust.

I was glad for vampire speed, because while Louis was taking my measurements, Eric was trying on the samples that Louis had set out for him. On his third attempt, I knew we'd found 'the' outfit. He looked absolutely stunning. A slow smile crept across his face when he saw my reaction. I had frozen, with my jaw hanging loose, and I'm sure what must have been a lusty expression on my face. His chuckle broke me out of my stupor, and he asked, "Like what you see, lover?"

"_Love_ what I see, Eric!"

"Well, this is the one, Louis. You have my measurements?" Louis nodded. "Excellent. How soon can you have the costumes ready?"

Louis told us he'd need a couple of weeks to get the costumes ready, and Eric game him his credit card and arranged for them to be shipped to Louisiana as soon as they were ready. I was delighted with our outfits, and even more pleased that we were going back to the hotel, because I really didn't think I could take much more.

Turned out I could.

Eric insisted that we walk back to the hotel since it was only a couple of blocks away, and it was a nice night. I knew what he was doing, but I was determined not to let him win this game.

By the time we arrived back at the hotel, my legs were shaking, and Eric had to wrap his arm around me to keep me upright. He headed for the stairs, rather than the elevator, and a feeling of dread washed over me. There was no way I could cope with the stairs, "Eric, I can't…"

"Don't worry, lover, I'll carry you." I nodded and gave a quiet sigh of relief. But, instead of picking me up bridal style like I expected, he flung me on his back so that my centre was getting even more stimulated with every movement he made.

He took his time walking up the first couple of flights of stairs until I was near constantly moaning in his ear. "Please, Eric. I need you…" I finally begged, and he picked up to vampire speed until we reached our room.

When we reached the room, Eric turned and gently deposited me on the edge of the bed. He knelt down in front of me, slowly removing my shoes, then kissed his way up my legs one at a time, avoiding where I needed him most. The heat in my body was almost unbearable now, and I groaned in frustration when Eric sat back on his feet. "My my, lover, you have been a naughty girl tonight haven't you? Where are your panties?"

"Too wet," I moaned, feeling his fingers work their way up my legs. "I took them off at Louis' and put them in my purse."

Eric reached into my purse and pulled out my soaked panties. He sniffed them, saying, "Divine, and all mine," before pocketing them. "I love that you're so wet for me, Sookie. Tell me what you want."

I was nearly incoherent by now with lust and built up sexual tension, so all I could get out was, "You."

Eric grinned, and slid my sundress off my body before unfastening my bra. He fondled my breasts and tweaked my nipples between his thumb and forefinger. "Is this what you want, Sookie?" I shook my head, "No? What do you want, Sookie?"

I was panting hard now. I had to have my release, and Eric's teasing was getting to be too much. I couldn't rub my thighs together, because he was still kneeling between them, so I reached my hand down, determined to help myself.

He caught my wrists, and said, "Ah, ah, ah, Sookie. You cannot touch yourself. He managed to undo his belt with one hand them wrapped it around my wrists, which he bound behind my back.

"Please, Eric!" I begged again.

"What do you want, lover?" he asked again with a glint in his eye, scenting victory.

"Fuck, I need to cum, Eric."

The words were barely out of my mouth before he was in front of my centre. One lick of my clit was all it took. I came so hard I saw stars, then blackness.

When I became aware again, I was on my back, and my wrists were now bound to the headboard. Eric was lying above me with a devilish smirk on his face, and a pair of silver balls dangling on a string over his finger. "I think I like these," he grinned as he pushed into me.

I was still hypersensitive, and came again as soon as he was sheathed in me. "Two," he muttered. I looked at him, confused. "I'm going to give you an orgasm for every week we've been together. Then, maybe I'll do it all again," he explained as he thrust into me.

I could feel my coil tightening again at his words and movements. I couldn't really focus, but I tried to remember how long we'd been together – six weeks? Eight? All I knew was that I was in for one hell of a ride.


	35. Chapter 35 Suprise

This chapter came as a bit of a surprise to me, never mind Eric & Sookie. I think it works well, though… hope you agree.

This chapter sees my word count tip over the 10,000 mark, and I have to say, that's yet another surprise – I never thought I'd be able to write this much, and there's still so much to come :-). On with the show, but not without thanking **TezyJ** and **Claire **for pre-reading, and making me feel more confident that I haven't taken my lemons too far.

I should also say that this will be my last update for a couple of weeks – I'm going on holiday & don't have access to a computer where I'm going, but I will be taking my trusty pen & paper (I never go anywhere without it), so I will be writing some more.

As always, I own nothing other than the storyline.

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**Chapter Thirty Five - Surprise**

Eric made good on his promise, and had me seeing stars more times than I could count. Our love making switched between fast and furious, and slow and tender.

Towards the end of the night, when we were lying together, sated, Eric surprised me by blurting out, "Marry me." I froze, not sure how to react, because it didn't sound like Eric had intended to just blurt it out like that. He looked me in the eye, "I mean it, Sookie. I love you with all of my undead heart, and I want to spend the rest of eternity with you. I know that you haven't made that decision yet, but I hope that one day, you will agree to be with me for all eternity, but for now, will you be my wife?"

Tears were streaming down my face at his declaration, and without hesitation, I nodded, "Yes, I will marry you. I love you with all of my heart."

He kissed me then, slow and passionate, "I love you."

"I love you too."

He settled himself between my legs and slipped into me. We made love until just before dawn took him for the day. As we settled down to sleep, with Eric's arms firmly around me, he whispered, "Goodnight, my fiancée, I will see you as soon as the sun sets, if not before." He kissed my hair and fell into his daytime slumber with a beautiful contented smile on his face.

I lay awake for a little while thinking about the events of last night. Eric had definitely paid me back with interest for my 'experiment', but we'd both benefitted from it as we'd had a night of lovemaking that I didn't think we'd ever beat. And the icing on the cake was his proposal. I'm not sure who was more surprised that he asked. He certainly seemed shocked that he'd blurted out the question, and I was surprised that he'd asked.

I thought about it. We'd only been together for a couple of months, and a lot of people would think that that was too soon, but with Eric and I… something had drawn us together. Yes, at the beginning, I wasn't too sure about him. Maybe it was my preconceived (a fantastic word from my calendar) notions about vampires, or maybe I was wary because of the hurt that Bill had caused me. I'm not sure what made me react that way when we first met, but as soon as we spent some time together, I knew that I could love this man. He was nothing like I'd thought he would be, at least not when we were alone.

That he loved me was undeniable. Ever since my birthday, when we'd first gotten together, he has been attentive, loving and protective of me. He'd told me once that before he saw my picture for the first time, he'd spent the last millennia hardening himself, determined not to feel human emotions. He said that human emotions were dangerous to a vampire. He said that he'd turned Pam for some companionship. He liked her feistiness, and while they were together for a brief period of time, he knew what they had wouldn't last as a couple.

He told me that he knew from the moment he met her she'd make an excellent vampire and jumped at the chance of having a friend in this life. Traditionally, new vampires spent decades, if not centuries, with their makers while they learned how to control their hungers and learned to become a good vampire. But Pam had taken to the life with such ease, Eric said it was as though she'd been born for this life, or she'd lived the life before. So, within a year, he'd been able to free her from the more severe restraints of a maker-child relationship.

Not long after he turned Pam, they returned to her apartment hear in New York to retrieve some of her personal items. While they were packing up her stuff, he came across a picture of Pam, Amelia and me that we took the night we became blood sisters. It was years old, but Eric said that there was something about that picture that told him he had to meet me. He set wheels in motion to move to Louisiana, where the queen was more than happy to appoint him as Sherriff of Area 5. The previous Sherriff had recently been sent to his final death for insubordination. He had been collecting tithes from the vampires in the area, but skimming more off the top than he was entitled to, which meant he wasn't sending what he should have been to the queen.

Eric's reputation for extreme loyalty and honesty (where it mattered), had preceded him, and the queen jumped at the chance of having one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in North America owing her fealty. From a political viewpoint, it made her even stronger, because she had 'control' over him. She'd given him Area 5 to look after for a couple of reasons; 1 – he'd asked, and 2 – it was as far away from her seat in New Orleans as possible whilst still being in her territory. Whilst it was a fantastic political move on her part, having him swear fealty, they both knew that realistically, she couldn't control him. He was three times her elder, so she gave him Area 5, and gave him almost free rein to run it as he saw fit.

The Area had prospered, and since the Great Revelation, had become the highest earning Area for her, second only to New Orleans. That was enough to keep the queen off his back, and Eric was more than happy to keep it that way, especially now that he'd found me. He said the last thing that he wanted was for the queen to get me in her clutches.

I knew that marrying me was partly political. If we were married, then it was less likely that other vampires could steal me away. After our conversation about Rhodes, I was under no illusions that the way Eric treat me was the norm for the way that vampires treat their human companions. Most were cruel, and treat their human as a possession; a toy they owned that provided them with food and sexual pleasure, that could be thrown away when they got bored.

Conversations I'd had with Pam told me that this had never been Eric's way. He believed in the 'do unto others' principle, and treat people with respect where it was deserved, but wasn't hesitant to dole put punishments where they were needed. Such punishments were swift, and fitting for the crime, and the supe community respected him for that, which is why he'd had no difficulty when he took over Area 5.

As I contemplated what my role might be when Eric and I married, I slipped out of bed and went into the bathroom to wash my face and take care of my bladder, which was screaming at me. After I'd washed up, I crawled back into bed and wrapped Eric's arms around me before drifting off to sleep.

When I woke, the first thing I saw was Eric's ice blue eyes. His head was propped up on his right arm, he was staring at my face, and his left hand was idly drawing patterns on my skin. "Good evening, Angel. How did you sleep?"

I gave him a quick kiss, "Really well. I lay awake for a while after you fell asleep, but once I fell asleep, I slept like a log."

He looked concerned, "What kept you awake, lover?"

"Nothing really. I was just thinking about us, and what it'll mean to be married. Can we even get married legally?" I stopped, realising that I sounded as though I didn't want to get married. "That came out wrong. I'm not saying I don't want to get married, because I do. But can we?"

"Well, legally, humans don't treat vampires as citizens, so I expect we can't get married in the human sense yet, but we can get married vampire style any time."

"Can we do both?"

He grinned, "Of course. We'll get married vampire style, then as soon as it's legal, we'll get married human style. I can't wait to be able to call you Mrs Northman in both of our worlds."

His use of my married name shot a thrill thought me. "I can't wait to be Mrs Northman," I whispered as I reached up for a kiss.

Our kiss was gentle, but conveyed all the love we felt for one another. Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by my stomach rumbling loudly. I flushed with embarrassment, but Eric just laughed, "I see I need to take better care of my fiancée. Come, get dressed, and I'll take you out for something to eat." He stood and held his hand out to help me out of the bed. He pulled me toward the bathroom, and I walked gingerly, feeling sore from last night.

Eric noticed, and asked if I was alright. "Yeah, I'm just a little tender," I told him with a smile, thinking of why I was sore. "Nothing a nice hot shower won't fix."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, so long as you don't try anything!"

"I can't promise to keep my hands to myself, but I can promise not to ravage you."

I laughed, "Good enough!"

We were both naked already, so I watched him reach into the shower and turn on the water before he turned and took me in his arms. He kissed me tenderly until the room filled with steam, then we stepped into the shower together. He was reverent in his attentions, gently massaging away my aches and pains. There was nothing sexual about the way he touched me, he was just taking care of me. That's not to say that his touch didn't ignite something in me, but this wasn't the all-consuming need I had felt last night. It was a slow burning passion that had me needing to take care of the man I loved.

When Eric had washed every inch of my body, I returned the favour washing every inch of him that I could reach. I handed him the shampoo since I couldn't reach his head, and whilst his head was tipped back to rinse off the shampoo, I dropped to my knees in worship. I took his length into my mouth, using my hand on the parts that my mouth couldn't hold, and smiled as he grunted in surprise. I worked slowly, savouring the moment. Eric's hands snaked into my wet locks, but he didn't push. He simply twisted his hands into my hair and moved with me.

The noises he was making were sublime. I moaned in response, and his hips bucked harder and faster. I could feel him becoming impossibly harder and thicker in my mouth, and knew he was close. I moaned again at the thought that I could to this to him, and he came undone with a shout of my name. I swallowed everything he gave me, then slowly withdrew. I gave him a sweet kiss on the tip, then Eric pulled me up and wrapped his arms around me whilst devouring my lips with a lazy kiss.

Eventually, he pulled away, "Lover, that was amazing, but I cannot be the only thing you eat tonight."

I laughed as he turned off the water and reached for a towel for each of us. We dried each other off, perhaps paying a little more attention to some areas than others. While we dressed, Eric asked if there was anywhere I particularly wanted to eat.

"I've heard that you get the best pizzas in New York. Maybe I can get one, just so I can say I've tried a New York pizza."

"Wherever you want, lover. Then, when you're done, we're going to go and find you the perfect engagement ring," he smiled.

My heart leapt, it was real! I was going to marry Eric! I grinned in my excitement, and the most beautiful smile graced Eric's face, "I love you."

"As I love you, angel. Now come on, get ready so you can eat."

We finished getting dressed, then walked hand in hand to the nearest pizzeria. It was reminiscent of last night, but tonight, the excitement was running through me for an entirely different reason. I felt like shouting from the rooftops that I was going to marry Eric Northman! Eric had caught on to my mood, and was grinning down at me. I know I was smiling too, so we probably looked like a pair of fools, but I didn't care.

When we arrived at the restaurant, I was pleased to see that although it was busy, there were still plenty of free tables. The waiter took us to a small table for two and handed us menus while asking what we wanted to drink. I ordered a gin and tonic while Eric ordered a True Blood. The water paled a little when Eric placed his order as he hadn't realised that he was a vampire. It amazed me that people couldn't tell, because to me, vampires gave off a faint 'glow', like a visible aura. Even with that though, tonight, Eric looked almost human because he was so happy.

The waiter came back with our drinks and took my order before making a hasty exit towards the kitchen. I wasn't sure if this was normal service for this restaurant, or whether he was in a hurry to get away from Eric, but once again, I couldn't bring myself to care.

The food was delicious, and while we ate, we talked about what we wanted to do tonight.

"The first thing we need to do is find a jeweller," Eric smiled.

I grinned back, "Really?"

"Really really!"

I laughed, "OK, Shrek, what have you got in mind? I don't want you spending a fortune on me."

"I believe Tiffany would be a good place to start. And if you don't see anything you like there, there are plenty of smaller, independent jewellers we can visit. As for the cost, I believe it's tradition for a man to spend at least one month's income on his fiancée's engagement ring."

I was stunned. I couldn't believe that Eric knew those traditions! More to the point, though, I knew what one month's income from Fangtasia looked like, and Eric had more businesses than that. "Eric, you can't spend that much money on me! I'd be terrified of something happening to it."

"I can, and I will. And nothing will happen to it. It'll be on your finger."

"I know but…" I hesitated, not quite knowing how to finish that sentence.

Eric took the opportunity to finish his argument, "But nothing lover. Nothing will happen to your ring, because I won't allow anything to happen to you." He took my hand across the table and brought it to his lips.

My heart melted at his speech, and we sat, hand in hand, staring at one another. The world around us disappeared, until it was just the two of us in our own little bubble.

Reality came crashing back down to us when the waiter cleared his throat. He was standing with my pizza in his hand, and was shifting impatiently from one foot to another. I sat back and apologised as he set the pizza in front of me. All the while, Eric was shooting daggers at the waiter for his interruption. Realising his mistake, the waiter bowed slightly to each of us, then quickly left to attend to the rest of his tables.

I tucked into my pizza, making quick work of it because it was delicious. Eric watched me intently all the while I ate. Ordinarily, that would make me uncomfortable, but something about the look in Eric's eye made me feel loved instead. "Does it not make you uncomfortable?" I asked.

"What?"

"Having me eat in front of you when you can't eat?"

He rolled his eyes slightly, "Not at all. We all have our own form of sustenance, ad this is yours. I actually find it quite sensuous, watching your mouth as you eat, and thinking about what else you can do with it."

I flushed with embarrassment. Eric wasn't known for his subtlety when it came to his sexuality or the innuendos that went with it, "Eric!"

"Don't be embarrassed, lover. I only speak the truth."

"Yeah, but there are certain things that shouldn't be said in public," I laughed.

"Well you asked, and I spoke the truth. You know I always speak the truth with you."

"I know you do."

"Are you finished, lover?" I nodded, "Good, let's go and find a diamond for your finger!"

oOo

Walking into the Jewellery department at Tiffany, Eric caught the attention of one of the attendants, who immediately came over and asked how she could help. As with every other woman who came into contact with Eric, her eyes were only for him, and she more or less ignored me.

He raised our hands where they were joined, and said, "I'm looking for an engagement ring fit for my fiancée."

The attendant only seemed to realised I was there when Eric made that gesture. She looked me up and down, then smiled brightly – too brightly. I decided to drop my shields and take a quick peek into her mind. I didn't much like doing it, but I was telepathic for a reason, and I figured I should use it sometimes. I didn't like what I heard, although I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. You know what they say about people who eavesdrop. The girl was wondering why Eric and I were engaged, and if I'd somehow managed to force him into marrying me, because I wasn't actually that good looking, and someone like Eric could do far better than me.

I slammed my shields back into place, and smiled a fake smile back at the girl. Two could play that game. I squeezed Eric's hand and he gave me a curious look. I shook my head so minutely, anybody but Eric would have missed it. Meanwhile, the girl was talking about options for cut and quality of diamond as she directed us to a display of engagement rings.

We stood looking at the trays of diamond rings, but nothing I saw caught my eye. The rings were all beautiful, but none of them were quite 'me'. My relationship with Eric was unique, and I wanted a ring that would reflect that.

After a few minutes of looking, I decided to speak up. Eric had remained silent while the girl continued to make suggestions to him. "I'm sorry, I just don't see 'my' engagement ring here." I turned to Eric, "perhaps we should look elsewhere?"

"As you wish, angel," he said as he placed a kiss on my forehead. He thanked the attendant and we left. As soon as we were out of the store, he asked, "What happened in there lover?"

I gave him a sheepish look, "I decided to listen to her, and I didn't like what I heard." He looked at me with an eyebrow raised, so I elaborated, "She was wondering if I'd forced you into getting engaged, and thought I wasn't good enough for you."

He pulled up short, "Did you believe her?"

"Yes! No! I don't know!" I paused, and took a deep breath before continuing, "I mean, you're over a thousand years old, so why pick me? I'm sure there must have been much better looking women over the years; women with more intelligence…"

He interrupted, "but there has never been you. I fell in love with you before I even met you. It's like my entire existence has been spent waiting for you. I love you, nobody else."

Tears were streaming down my face at his declaration, "I love you too."

He nodded and wiped my tears with his thumbs before pulling me into a sweet kiss. Again, the world melted away, and reality only returned when we heard a car horn pierce the constant buzz that is New York.

Eric took my hand and started walking, "What did you think of the rings in there?"

"They were lovely, but none of them were 'me'."

"What do you mean?"

"I was thinking about how our relationship is unique, and I want my ring to reflect that. I don't want something huge, because that won't be practical."

"I agree, you should get something unique, and we're not going to find that somewhere like Tiffany. We need to go to one of the smaller, independent jewellers."

I nodded, "I like the idea about the three stones that she told us about, where the stones represent our past, present and the future."

"Yes, I like that idea too. In fact, it gave me an idea." By this point, we had arrived outside a small jeweller, and Eric pointed out a ring what was displayed in the window, "What do you think of that one?"

I looked at the ring he indicated. It was a platinum band, with two small rubies on either side of a diamond, and there was a pattern on either side of the rubies.

"I love it!"

He smiled at me, "The diamond represents your innocent past, and the two rubies represent our present and future, bonded by blood. The patterns on either side of the stones are called trinity knots. They're Celtic, and are said to symbolise the spiritual growth, eternal life and never ending love. They are also used as the symbol of Norse goddesses. "

"It's perfect. Can we take a look?"

He nodded, and took me inside. The store was empty, apart from the older couple behind the counter, who looked up and smiled genuinely when we stepped inside.

The woman stepped out from behind the counter, "Good evening. You're looking for a ring?" I must have had a puzzled look on my face, because she continued, "A beautiful couple like you walk into my store hand in hand, you're both looking like you're on cloud nine, so I'm guessing you just got engaged."

I looked at Eric and grinned, then turned back to the woman and nodded enthusiastically.

She chuckled, "You got something in mind?"

Eric answered, "We saw a ring in the window we'd like to look at."

"OK, kids, point it out," she said good naturedly. We pointed out the ring, and she pulled it from the window display. As she was doing that, she explained all about the cut and clarity of the stones. I didn't really understand what she was saying, but Eric was nodding, so I guessed he did. She held it out for him to inspect, then his took it and slid it onto my finger.

It fit perfectly.

I was looking down at my hand, fascinated by the way the ring glinted in the light as I moved it. I realised I hadn't said anything, and I looked up to see Eric grinning at me. I grinned back and nodded.

My nod was all Eric needed, "We'll take it!"

The woman beamed, "It's perfect for you. Will that be all, or are you interested in looking at anything else?"

"Could we look for wedding bands?" I asked shyly, looking at Eric to see his reaction.

He nodded, seeing my hesitancy, "That's an excellent idea, lover." He looked to the woman, who directed us towards a display of wedding bands. She pointed out a simple platinum ring for me which would compliment my engagement ring, and one that had the same knot design as my engagement ring for Eric. The ring she suggested for me fit perfectly, but Eric's was too small for his large hands. She found Eric's correct size, and agreed to have the alterations done, then asked me to complete an order from so that it could be done and delivered to me when it was complete.

While I was filling in the form, I wrote a note asking for the ring to be made from scratch, rather than have them re-size the original. I also asked for the inside to be engraved with the words 'eternal love'. The woman checked the form over while Eric was paying the man for my rings. She nodded, and said it would take two weeks for Eric's ring to be ready, then asked if we would like both wedding bands to be delivered. Eric had finished paying by this point, and agreed that having the rings delivered would be a good idea. I handed my credit card over to pay for Eric's ring, then once I'd paid, we left to go back to the hotel.

As soon as we were in the elevator, Eric took my left hand and kissed my ring before kissing and licking his way up my arm towards my neck. He nibbled and kissed the spot just behind my ear that he knew drove me crazy. When he started whispering in my ear what he wanted to do to me, I nearly came undone. Fortunately, the doors opened on our floor, and we more or less ran to our room because we really needed to be alone and in private.

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Sookie's engagement ring : http:/cf(dot)mp-cdn(dot)net/0f/56/2cf38ebfdde804f6c84570f25e9f(dot)jpg

Eric's wedding band : http:/www(dot)mdcdiamonds(dot)com/WedAndetails(dot)cfm?Stock=WB219PL&Country=UK#


	36. Chapter 36 Mile High

Hi guys, I'm back! Hope I didn't leave you hanging for too long… thanks again to all who have read & reviewed (apologies if I haven't responded to your reviews).

Well, without further ado (apart from my usual thanks to my pre-readers **TezyJ **and **Claire**, and the usual disclaimer – I own nothing), let's get on with the next chapter…

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**Chapter Thirty Six – Mile High**

I woke the following day about half an hour before sunset. I'd eventually fallen into an exhausted sleep just before dawn, after spending the night making love with Eric. I grinned and stretched, before jumping out of bed to go to the bathroom.

When I finished in the bathroom, I climbed back into bed and snuggled into Eric, thinking about everything that had happened over the past couple of days. We had committed to a lifetime with one another, and I wondered if it might be more than that. I wasn't ready for immortality yet, but I knew it was something I'd have to consider at some point. From what I'd been told by Claudine and Doctor Ludwig, the likelihood was that I'd have a life that spanned way beyond the norm for humans, so it wasn't something I needed to worry about in the immediate future, unless something happened to me that let us with no choice.

No, I'd make like Scarlett O'hara, and think about that another time. For now, I'd think about our wedding. I knew we wouldn't be able to have a traditional white church wedding, but honestly, the thought didn't bother me too much. I didn't have my dad to give me away, and to me, that's one of the biggest things about getting married. And, because I couldn't have that, I'd never really thought about having that kind of wedding.

I'd still like the opportunity to wear a wedding dress though. That's another thing that goes hand in hand with getting married, and regardless of what kind of wedding we had, I hoped that I'd get the opportunity, and of course, the thought of Eric in a tux wasn't at all unappealing!

While I was thinking, Eric woke. He pulled me to him and kissed me gently, "Good morning lover. What are you thinking of?"

"Our wedding."

He grinned, "What about it?"

"I was just thinking about the type of ceremony that we'd have. I know it won't be the same as a human service, and I was just wondering about it, if I'd get to wear a dress…." I trailed off.

He pulled me to him again and kissed me briefly on the lips, "The type of ceremony depends entirely on what you want. Ceremonies go from anything as brief as the human simply handing the vampire a ceremonial knife to an elaborate affair which includes a blood exchange. Although it's rare for a vampire to wed, when it does happen, it's usually the former, but I think I would like the latter."

"When do you want to do it?"

"I'd do it tonight, but we don't have time. We have a flight to catch in a couple of hours."

"Well, I don't think we could plan an elaborate wedding in less than two hours!"

He chuckled. "No, we couldn't do anything of what I'd like to do in two hours," he leered, pulling me into a deep kiss.

Just when I was starting to get breathless, he pulled away. "Don't pout, lover. We need to get ready to leave."

"I know, I just don't want to leave. I've had such a great time here," I whined.

"Me too. But we really have to leave."

I huffed, and climbed out of bed. I decided to forego a shower since we were just getting on a plane, and I was going to have to shower when we arrived at home. I grabbed a sundress and a sweater, then stomped off to the bathroom.

I was washing my face when Eric stepped into the bathroom, wrapped his arms around my waist, and kissed the top of my head. "Don't be like that, lover. We will have plenty of opportunities for sex when we leave here. In fact, I was thinking of initiating you into the Mile High Club!"

"Ewww! Eric! I can't believe you're even thinking about that. There's absolutely no way I will have sex with you in the bathroom on an airplane. For one thing, they're not big enough, and for another, who knows what I might catch… Just ewww!"

He laughed, "I thought you might say that! Just as well we're not flying back on a public flight. I've chartered a private jet to take us home."

I looked up into the mirror, to see him smiling down at me with a twinkle in his eyes. "Really?"

He nodded, "Yes, and it's got a bedroom at the back."

"And there won't be anyone else on board?"

"Only the pilots and one flight attendant."

My stomach fluttered at the prospect. "I'll consider it," I said with what I hoped was an even voice.

"I'm sure you will, lover," he kissed my neck before walking back into the bedroom to dress.

I dried my face then followed him into the bedroom, where I found him taking his clothes out of the closet and packing them into his case.

We finished packing, and before I knew it, we were in a cab on our way to the airport. We checked into a hangar similar to the Anubis one we'd arrived in, and there was a plane outside that was similar in size to the one we'd flown to New York in.

We walked hand in hand up the stairs onto the plane, and were greeted by a flight attendant who introduced herself as Julia. She was a tall, dark-haired girl, who had an amazing smile that seemed completely genuine. I lowered my shields and heard her thinking what a lovely couple we looked, and how Eric's height reminded her of her boyfriend. I smiled, pleased that for once, I was in the company of a woman who thought about something other than what she wanted to do with Eric.

Julia showed us to our seats, and asked if we needed anything. "Erm, could I have a gin and tonic please?"

"Sure, and what about you, sir?" she asked Eric, with a smile.

"No, thank you," he replied. She nodded and left us to prepare my drink. Eric took my hand, and leaned down towards me. "Are you OK, lover? I can feel your nerves."

"I'm just a bit nervous about the flight. It's only the second time I've flown, and I'm just not comfortable with it yet."

"Oh, I'm sure we can find something to take your mind off it!" he waggled his eyebrows.

I shook my head at him, and turned to thank Julia as she handed me my drink. I quickly drank it, and gave her back the empty glass, as we started taxiing to the runway. As the engines roared, I shut my eyes, and gripped Eric's hand as though it was a life preserver and I was adrift in the ocean.

I relaxed a little as I felt the plane level off, and Eric leaned over to whisper in my ear, "Lover, I'm glad it's just my hand you have hold of, because if was anything else, I think we may have had to change our plans…"

I flushed with embarrassment and immediately released his hand, "I'm sorry, Eric… I just really don't like taking off or landing. The rest I can cope with."

"That's good to know!"

Julia came over to us then, asking if there was anything else we needed. "I think just some privacy," said Eric.

I was gobsmacked, and glared at Eric. Julia, however, smiled and replied, "Not a problem, sir. I'll be in the cabin with the pilots. If you need anything, just press the call button."

He nodded, and she smiled, then turned towards the front of the plane where she disappeared through the door to the cabin.

"I can't believe you just basically told her we were going to have sex!" I stared wide eyed at Eric.

"I'm sure we're not the first couple to have said that to her, lover. And we won't be the last."

"That's not the point, though! I don't want everyone to know what we get up to." I was losing momentum with my argument though, because Eric was kissing his way down my neck, and my traitorous body was melting into him.

"Would you rather she stay out here and watch this?" he murmured into my neck, where he nipped my skin gently with his teeth.

I gasped and moaned quietly, "Um, no." I'd lost the ability to think straight, as Eric's fingers rubbed briefly against my nub through my panties. My hips bucked, and he grinned, "So wet for me, Sookie. You want this don't you?"

I couldn't string two words together, so I answered by turning to kiss him. He nodded, then picked me up, carrying me towards the back of the plane. Behind a partition, which held the galley to one sides, and the bathroom to the other, there was a wall with a door in the centre. It was this door that Eric carried me through, into a room which was basically one large bed. There was just enough room to be able to walk around the sides and end of the bed, but other than that, it was just bed. He set me down, and leaned into me to kiss me. His kiss was forceful enough to push me backwards onto the bed, but he just followed, crawling with me as I shuffled towards the pillows.

His hands were everywhere, and that, combined with the heat of his kiss, drove me into a frenzy. I grasped the hem of his t-shirt, pulling it up in an attempt to remove it. He took the hint, and broke our kiss to pull it over his head.

While his body was raised to remove his t-shirt, I took the opportunity to scrabble for his belt. I made short work of it, and his button-fly jeans were well worn enough that they flew open with a quick tug. As usual, he'd gone commando, so his erection immediately sprang free. I pushed his jeans down over his hips while he raised my dress up over mine. He ripped my panties off and plunged into me.

I started to scream in pleasure, but Eric stifled it by crashing his lips into mine. The scream turned into heady moans as he thrust his tongue into my mouth, matching the rhythm he had set with his hips. When he broke the kiss to allow me to breathe, he moved to kiss me just below my ear, where he knew it drove me crazy. He started whispering in my ear, telling me what he wanted to do to me.

His dirty words were what threw me over the edge. Again, Eric kissed me hard to help drown out some of the noise that I was making. When I started to settle down a bit, I pulled away from his kiss, and looked into his eyes. "I love you Eric, and I can't wait to be your wife!"

My words must have meant a lot to Eric, because his whole body stiffened as I spoke, and I could feel his cool seed spilling into me. That was enough to set me off again, and I came undone once again.

We lay in the bed, snuggled up, for ages after we'd both been satisfied. Eric was lying on his back, and I had moulded myself into his side, with my right arm across his chest, and my right leg across his thighs. He was tracing patterns on my back, and we were basking in our shared love.

Eventually, I lifted my head so that I could look him in the eye, and asked, "So, when we get married, we'll exchange blood? That will complete our blood bond won't it?" He nodded, "Tell me some more about it."

"Well, as we've discussed before, the bond is complete when we exchange blood three times, and the biggest benefit of the bond is that we each will know where the other is, and how they are feeling. That means that we can quickly find one another if we need to."

"And will it change how we feel?" This was the one thing that I was most scared of. I didn't want the blood bond to change how I felt about Eric.

"No. We can push feelings towards one another, like you did to me the other night. But we will still feel our own feelings, and will be able to identify those feelings which are our own, and which are not. It will, however, enhance and strengthen our own feelings."

"I don't think it's possible for me to love you more than I do right now," I grinned as I stretched up to kiss him.

"I know exactly what you mean, lover," he growled as he captured my lips with his.

I giggled as he pulled me over on top of him, but my giggle soon turned into breathy moans as he deepened the kiss and his hands started to roam.

We made love for hours. Eric proved that vampires are always ready to go, even after cumming. We alternated between hard and fast, and slow and sensual, until the captain announced that we would be landing in Shreveport in 10 minutes.

I tried to push Eric off me when the announcement was made, but he growled, and clasped both of my wrists in one of his large hands, holding them above my head. He held his weight on the same elbow, and snaked his other hand down between us, and rubbed against my nub whilst thrusting into me with a strong, steady rhythm.

He shifted his hand into vampire speed, so that his finger was vibrating against my nub. I gasped and started bucking my hips into his with even more force than before. I knew I would probably feel this later, but at that point, I just didn't care.

Within less than a minute, I was flying over the edge, screaming Eric's name. He watched me as I climaxed, staring into my eyes. That seemed to tip Eric over the edge, and he came with me, sinking his fangs into my neck. The feel of his fangs was so sensuous, I came again, and we lay together, panting for a couple of minutes before we heard the pilot requesting that we buckle our seatbelts in preparation for landing.

"Shit!" I giggled, clambering out of bed. I threw Eric's clothes at him, and we dressed as quickly as we could, whilst laughing like a pair of teenagers who had just had a close escape from being caught in the act by their parents. Eric took my hand and led me to our seats. We heard the engines roared as we came in to land.

We were sharing knowing glances and laughing so much, I didn't realise we'd landed until the plane stopped moving. I had such a surprised look on my face, Eric started laughing again. "I knew I could distract you enough to stop you thinking about the landing!"

Julia was standing beside the door with a big smile on her face, and she thanked us for travelling with them as we stepped off the plane.

Compared with new York, the heat was sultry, and I stood at the top of the steps with Eric just breathing in the relatively fresh air before we started to descend the stairs.

As we reached the bottom, I noticed Pam standing near my car with a smirk on her face. "Good flight?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

I looked up at Eric, then back at Pam, "It was a great flight."

"I could tell," she deadpanned as she sniffed the air.

_Oh shit! I forgot that Pam could sense my stronger emotions, and no doubt she can smell what we've been up to as well._ I flushed beet red with embarrassment, and raised my hands to cover my face.

"What the hell is that?" Pam almost shrieked.

Confused, I lowered my hands and looked at Eric, who looked smug. "What?"

"That!" Pam responded, pointing to my left hand.

"Oh! Erm…"

"I have asked Sookie to be my wife," Eric told her with a massive grin as he wrapped his arm around me.

Pam looked between us almost in disbelief, then whipped over to us at vampire speed, then grabbed my hand to inspect my engagement ring. "It's beautiful, and so unique!" she exclaimed.

"Just like Sookie," Eric smiled down at me. "We felt it was fitting for our relationship to have such a unique ring."

"It certainly is that," she agreed before enveloping us both in a hug. "Congratulations. I can't think of two people better matched."

We both thanked her as we watched the airline crew load our luggage into my car.

Once the luggage was loaded, Eric led me to the passenger door. He opened the door for me, and held my hand as I climbed into the car, then bowed and kissed my engagement ring before closing the door.

I giggled, and shook my head as he walked around to the driver's side. "You're too much!"

He winked as he started the engine, "That's not what you were telling me earlier!"

I stared at him open-mouthed, not quite sure I believed he'd said that. I could see Pam snickering as she waved us off, obviously having heard our exchange. She called out "I'll see you at home," as we pulled away. We both nodded and waved at her as we turned the corner out of the airfield and headed home.


	37. Chapter 37 Announcement

I still can't believe the number of hits this story has had – almost 50,000! 89 of you have added it to your favourites, and 159 have added it to your alerts, I'm absolutely astounded, and just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I will be getting a new laptop, so won't have to fight my hubby & son for the use of the computer, so my posts should come a bit more regularly.

Just gotta offer my usual thanks to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for their support and encouragement, and of course, you all know, I don't own the characters or the locations.

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**Chapter Thirty Seven - Announcement**

Pam met us at the farmhouse as we agreed. She gave Eric a report on everything that had happened in the area while I showered. They were just finishing up when I came into the living room.

I was about to sit on the couch when Eric pulled me onto his lap and Pam asked, "So, you're getting married? Does that mean you'll be my step-mom?"

I burst out laughing. "Pam, that's just weird! You're older than I am!"

"Only by a couple of months! I can't help if you fell in love with an older man."

I glanced at Eric, who was looking between Pam and me with a bemused expression on his face. "Well, sometimes there are benefits to being with a **much** older man!"

Eric's eyes flashed as he looked down at me, "I'm sure there are, lover."

Sensing the change in the energy in the room, Pam changed the subject in an attempt to stop Eric and me attacking each other like a pair of horny teenagers. "So, when are you getting married? Are you having an engagement party?"

Eric and I looked at one another, and after a while, Eric spoke, "I was thinking of getting married at the summit. That way everyone there will know that you're my bonded and my wife, which should give you a lot of protection from my kind. Once we are bonded, it will be a blood offence, punishable by final death, for anyone to harm you."

"So it'll keep Madden off my back?" I asked. I had mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I was glad that I'd have some protection from Madden, but on the other, I wondered if this was the main reason that Eric wanted to marry me.

Sensing my turmoil, Eric cupped my cheeks in his hands, and gently raised my head. I was still uncomfortable, so I kept my eyes focussed on my hands, which were clasped on my knee. "Lover, look at me," he said quietly. I raised my eyes to his, and I was captured in his beautiful blue gaze. "I. Love. You. I want to marry you because I love you. Everything else that comes with it is a bonus. If I get to keep you safe, then that's all the better."

"But won't it make you look weak?"

"Not at all. I've thought about this, and whilst I _did_ think that to feel human emotions was weak, I've realised I was wrong. To feel love makes me stronger, because I've now got a reason to fight; a reason to live; and something other than myself to protect. Something that I will do whatever it takes to protect. And I know that you would do the same for me."

My eyes had filled with tears at Eric's admission. "I would," I agreed. "I love you."

Pam cleared her throat, and we both looked at her to see that her eyes were pink-rimmed, as though they might be filling with tears of blood. "Now that you've got that out of the way, what about an engagement party?"

"I don't think I could handle arranging an engagement party on top of everything else, Pam. We've got the Halloween party in three weeks, then a couple of weeks after that, we've got the summit. We're going to be too busy with arrangements for those to sort out an engagement party on top of it all. Not to mention the fact that if we're getting married at the summit, that only leaves 5 weeks to plan our wedding," I told her.

"Lover, I will arrange for a company to help plan our wedding. Quinn will already be in Rhodes, so I'm sure his company will be able to assist us."

"That's an excellent idea, Eric. That way, Sookie won't have as much to stress over, and the wedding will be taken care of, and of course, I will help as much as possible too. You can use the Halloween party as an engagement party, and that will kill two birds with one stone."

I looked up at Eric, who smiled down at me, before responding, "That's a good idea. It also keeps things relatively quiet. I don't want Madden to get wind of this until it's unavoidable."

"That sounds good," I agreed. "So, what have we got to do to get all of this sorted out?"

We launched into a discussion about what was left to do for our Halloween/engagement party. Since invitations had already gone out for the Halloween party, we decided that we'd close off the VIP area of the club, and keep it as a private area, just for our engagement party. Originally, the plan had been to have a kind of lottery on the night to allow people into the VIP area, the same that we planned to do every other night, but we felt that 'invites only' was much better for the occasion.

We worked out a guest list, ant I agreed to send out invitations in the morning, making sure to include tickets for the main Halloween party so that people were aware of the fact that it was fancy dress. Once that was all agreed, and Pam had produced one of her famous 'to do' lists (Pam was always super organized. Amelia and I used to rib her about it throughout school, because of her endless production of list after list of things that she needed or wanted to do), we started on wedding plans.

"What kind of wedding are you having?" Pam asked, with her pen poised over a new sheet of paper, ready to start another list.

"We want something fancy, but not too elaborate," I told her.

"Fancy, but not elaborate…" Pam repeated as she started her list.

"When it's legal, we will be getting married human style," Eric added. "So, we don't need to go over the top with this wedding. We should also be conscious of the fact that there will be royalty there, and we must be careful not to offend them."

"Not over the top…" Pam jotted down. "Dress?" she asked, looking at me.

"I think so. I'm not sure what would be appropriate though, so I'll need help choosing."

Pam beamed, "I'd love to help you choose, and I'm sure Claudine and Amelia will have some ideas too."

I stifled a yawn, "Yeah, they probably would! We'll look at some places during the day, and you can help me decide after dark."

"You're tired, lover. Go on up to bed. I will call Quinn, then I'll join you upstairs. Pam, I need to show you the security systems before I go up."

"Ok honey, I'll see you in a while. Night Pam," I said as I kissed first Eric, then Pam, on the head, on my way to the stairs.

I washed up, then climbed into our bed and curled up under the covers. I was so tired, it didn't take me long to fall asleep. I stirred a little when I felt the bed dip and Eric plant a kiss on my forehead, but other than that, I wasn't aware of anything until I woke the following day.

When I woke, I reached out with my mind to see who was in the house. The only people who knew the security codes, and were able to pass the wards, apart from Eric and me, were Amelia, Tray, Claudine, and now Pam. Only myself, Eric and Pam knew the access codes for the light-tight suite upstairs. They were different from the rest of the house as an extra layer of security.

I could 'hear' Amelia and Tray downstairs. Amelia was singing songs to herself in her mind, and appeared to be cleaning. Tray had just arrived back in the house after checking the old Compton place. Eric had bought it from Bill at a scandalous price to ensure no-one could use the property as a place to spy from. He'd paid Alcide to install a security system there, and link it to the one in our house, so we could monitor the property at all times.

Even with the security system in place, Tray felt it was important to physically check the property at least twice a day in case of any problems. He hadn't found anything at the house, but he was concerned about something, because he kept thinking, 'I'll tell Eric as soon as he rises tonight'.

I was instantly on the alert, and reached out as far as I could with my mind. There was nothing. One of the benefits of living in the middle of nowhere was the fact that there was no-one around. Of course, that could be a downside too. If there was no-one around, you were more vulnerable to people if they were to attack you out here. That wasn't something I'd ever been particularly concerned with before I'd met Eric, but his sense of self-preservation had rubbed off on me, especially since Victor Madden had decided to use me as a way to get to Eric.

Knowing that there was no-one else in the area, and that we weren't in any immediate danger, I relaxed a little. After a couple of minutes, I climbed out of bed, and then went to the bathroom to wash and dress. When I was ready, I headed downstairs, double checking the suite door before descending the stairs.

I was right. Amelia was scrubbing in the kitchen, and Tray was sitting at the old wooden table with a glass of sweet tea in front of him. "Morning guys! Amelia, you don't need to do that, I can do it…"

Both of them looked up at me and said, "Morning!" before Amelia continued, "I know I don't, Sook, but I wanted to. I got a bit bored when Tray went out to check the property, and he wouldn't let me go with him, so…" she gestured to the cleaning gear.

I laughed, "You always were a clean freak, weren't you!"

"Yeah, I know. You don't mind do you?" she asked.

"Not at all, but you really don't have to do it, you know."

"I know, but I wanted to."

I couldn't argue with that, so I set about making myself some breakfast. "Want some?" I asked them both.

Amelia refused, saying she'd already eaten, and that she was going to carry on cleaning. Tray accepted, saying "I've already eaten too, but I'm a growing boy!"

I laughed as I got the things out to make breakfast, "Maybe I should call you Merry or Pippin. They had second and third breakfasts."

Tray looked shocked, "I may have furry toes on occasion, but I'm not a hobbit…. I'm too tall!" We all burst out laughing. We bantered back and forward while I cooked. Amelia took a dusting rag into the living room while Tray and I ate, and she returned to the kitchen as I was drinking my coffee. I was sitting with my elbows on the table, and both hands holding my mug as she came in.

"Sookie Stackhouse, have you got something to tell me?" she asked.

I grinned, "I was wondering how long it'd take you to notice!"

"You got engaged, and you didn't tell me?"

"We didn't tell anyone. It was kinda sudden," I explained with a blush.

"When? How?"

"Three nights ago, in New York. As for the how, I'm not telling…"

"He proposed to you in bed, didn't he?" I blushed even brighter, giving her her answer. "I knew it!" she laughed.

_I guess we're going to have to come up with a story that's fit for public consumption._ I didn't want the world to know that we were 'in bed' when Eric proposed. "It's not like it seems. Yes, we were in bed, but we weren't doing anything." Amelia gave me a disbelieving look. "We weren't! We were snuggling!"

"Is that what you call it?" Amelia laughed. _Yup, definitely gonna need to come up with a different story!_

"Whatever, Meals," I pouted.

"Oh, Sook, don't be like that! I was only kidding!"

"I know… so was I!" I flashed my cheekiest grin.

She squealed then ran across the kitchen and wrapped her arms around me. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you both! Let me see…." she gushed as she grabbed my left hand to look at my ring. "It's gorgeous!"

"Isn't it! Our wedding bands match it."

"Oh, wow, that's so sweet!"

Tray snorted, "I never thought I'd hear anything about Eric Northman and the word 'sweet' in the same sentence! Congratulations Sookie, he's a great guy."

"Thanks guys. He really is a wonderful man, and I don't think I'd find a man I loved more, even if I lived a thousand years."

"We know, Sook, and I'm pretty sure he feels the same. He already _has_ lived a thousand years, and from what I've heard, he's never gotten this close to a human before," Tray agreed.

"He hasn't," I confirmed.

"So, have you set a date yet?" asked Amelia.

"Yes and no," I answered. "We can't get married 'human style' yet, because it's not legal, but we're gonna get married 'vampire style' at the summit next month."

"The summit's only five weeks away, Sookie. That's an awful short time to put a wedding together."

"I know, but I'm sure we can do it, what with Pam's super organizational skills, and your mad shopping skills. Eric's hired Quinn to help too," I said, taking my dishes to the sink to wash.

I washed my dishes, and Amelia dried them as we chatted a bit more about the wedding. "Meals, would you can Claudine help me to find a dress? I've got to find one that looks great without offending any vamp royalty by looking better than them."

She wrapped her arms around me, and kissed my cheek, "I'd be honoured to." She glanced at the clock, "Go, get changed, then call Claudine… we're going shopping!"


	38. Chapter 38 Dress Shopping

Hi guys, I'm back. This is the last chapter that I have in my 'bank', so updates are likely to be a little slower from here on, but I promise you I WILL finish this story.

Thanks as always to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for being my fantastic pre-readers, and of course I don't own anything…

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**Chapter Thirty Eight – Dress Shopping**

When Amelia agreed to come shopping with me, I grinned, and bounded up the stairs to get changed. While I was there, I called Claudine, and arranged to meet her at the mall in Shreveport in a couple of hours. I also called Jason, and invited him over for dinner with me and Eric tonight, then quickly checked my emails. There was an email from Quinn requesting a meeting, so I made a mental note to speak with Eric before arranging a meeting with Quinn, because I wanted Eric with me.

When I was ready, I made my way back downstairs, and we all piled into my car. As usual, Tray drove, and I let Amelia sit up front with him, while I sat in the back. We chatted about all sorts of things on our way to Shreveport, and we all had a laugh about Maxine Fortenberry's latest letter to the editor of the local newspaper. She complained that the white on the high school football team's uniforms wasn't white enough, and said that the school should take more pride in their teams because at the minute, it looked like they didn't care. She said that if the school didn't care, the players didn't care, and they wouldn't get anywhere with that attitude.

Amelia laughed, "Tray and I have been to all of the recent home games, and Maxine Fortenberry hasn't shown up to any of them until at least half-way through, by which point, all the players have hit the ground at least once, ant they have grass stains on their uniforms."

"She's right about not caring though," Tray admitted. "I'm not saying that they don't care, but not caring isn't going to get them anywhere."

"Eric said something similar last night. If you don't love something, you've got nothing to fight for, and if you don't fight, you don't win." We sat in silence for a little while, contemplating what we'd just been talking about.

"Whoa, we got all serious there for a minute, didn't we?" Amelia joked, breaking the silence. We laughed and nodded, "So what's the plan for today?" she asked, changing the subject.

We talked about our plans for the day until we pulled up at the mall. As always, Tray got out of the car first, and checked the area before opening the back door to let me out. I'd also made a habit of doing a mental sweep of the area before getting out of the car, and I was sure that there was no-one with malicious thoughts in the area before I stepped out of the car.

As a precaution, I didn't pull my shields up all the way, so that I would 'hear' anyone who thought anything about me. Claudine had explained how thoughts about you, or aimed at you, were always loudest and clearest, so if my shields were slightly lowered, I would catch them.

Claudine saw us, and waved us over from her spot near the entrance to the mall. She gave me a quick hug, and said hello to Tray and Amelia. "So, what are we shopping for?" she asked.

"Wedding dresses," I answered.

Her eyes widened a bit before she took my left hand in hers. "You're getting married? " I nodded. "Congratulations!"

She asked all the usual questions – when Eric had proposed, whether we'd set a date etc etc. I told her about our plan to marry at the summit in Rhodes next month, and how we intended to get married 'human style' as soon as it was legal to do so. Amelia had great fun at my expense telling Claudine that Eric had proposed to me while we were in bed.

Eventually, Tray cleared his throat, "Ladies, do you intend on shopping today at all?"

"Oh god, yes… Sorry Tray!" I stammered.

He laughed, "No problem, Sookie, I just didn't want you to miss out on shopping because you'd spend all day standing outside the mall talking to these two."

I giggled, "That would be a total waste of time, wouldn't it? Where to ladies?"

Claudine replied, "There are a few stores here that sell bridal gowns, so we should look there first to get an idea of what you want, then you can start making appointments at the more exclusive stores."

"Appointments?" I asked.

"Yes. Shopping for a bridal gown is not like shopping for any other clothes. It takes time, and experience to make sure the bride gets 'the' dress," Claudine informed me.

Amelia nodded in agreement, then added, "And the better the store, the better the dresses, and you need an appointment for those stores so that they can give you the best possible experience."

"OK, let's do this," I said, sounding more confident than I felt. I suddenly felt a little overwhelmed at the prospect of finding the perfect dress, let alone planning the weddings. I was glad that I had Eric, Pam, and hopefully Quinn to help with the planning.

We walked through the mall, discussing options for dress styles, and I told the girls that I didn't really have a preference. I just knew that I didn't want a huge wedding dress; I wanted something simple, yet elegant.

The girls nodded, as we stopped outside of a bridal and formal gown store. In the window, there was a beautiful white wedding gown. It was strapless with a tight bodice, and the full skirt was layer upon layer of organza, which was studded with crystals. It was lovely.

"Wow!" gasped Amelia, "That dress is stunning!"

"It certainly is," I agreed.

"Come on, let's go in and have a look," Claudine prompted, grabbing my arm.

I looked around the store, and there were many beautiful gowns. I tried on the dress in the window, and fell even more in love with it; it was just like every little girl's dream. I continued to look around though, because I wanted to be sure to buy 'the' dress that was right for me, and right for the location.

While I was looking, a beautiful blue evening gown caught my eye. It was floor-length, and body hugging, with a plunging neckline. Below the bust, there was a band of crystals that wrapped around of the back to form the top of the low-cut back, which would sit just at the base of the spine, then twisted to create criss-cross straps at the back, which went over the shoulders, then back under the arms. I _had_ to have it. It called to me even more than the wedding dress in the window.

I quickly tried the dress on, and it fit like a glove, and brought out the blue of my eyes. I took the dress to the store clerk, and asked her about the wedding gown. I wanted Pam to have some involvement in choosing my wedding dress, so I wanted to know if the store would consider loaning the dress to me until I'd made my final decision.

She hesitated, because it wasn't something they normally did, but just then, Claudine appeared by my side. "We will pay the full price of what the dress is worth. It's just that my aunt, Sookie's mother, is bed-ridden. She's dying, and Sookie here," she put her arm around my shoulder, "wants to let her mom choose her bridal gown. We will, of course, take care of the dress. We only ask that if Sookie decides that the dress is not for her, you will refund the money."

I was stunned that Claudine would lie like that, but 'listening' to the clerk's thoughts, I could tell that Claudine's fake sob story had worked.

"I promise to let you know tomorrow if I'm going to keep the dress, and if I'm not, you have my word that I will bring it back to you in, in perfect condition, tomorrow afternoon." I said, looking her in the eye so that she could see the truth there.

"OK. Given the circumstances, I agree. If I haven't heard from you by lunch time tomorrow, I will assume that you want to keep the dress."

"Thank you so much! You don't know what this means to me…." I gushed.

"Honestly, it's my pleasure. I try to do whatever I can for brides to help make their day as special as possible."

I nodded, and waited for the clerk to put the dresses I'd chosen into garment bags, then handed her my credit card to pay for them.

Claudine and Amelia each took one of the gowns, so that Tray's hands were free in case of emergencies, and we walked back to the car. We lowered half of the back seat so that the dresses could lie flat, half in the trunk, and half in the back seat.

"Where to now, ladies?" Tray asked cheerfully.

Claudine and Amelia looked at each other, then spoke together, "Verena Rose."

We laughed, and Amelia continued, "It's the best place around here for bridal wear."

Tray nodded, "Plus, she's a Were from the Shreveport pack, so I know her, and I trust her."

That was reassuring. "OK, let's go…" I grinned as we all piled into my car. I was glad that the car was big, because it meant that Claudine and I were able to fit comfortably on the remaining half of the back seat, while Amelia took up her position in the front seat.

On the journey to the store, while Claudine and Amelia were chatting animatedly about colour schemes and flowers, something suddenly occurred to me. "Claudine? I'm sorry to interrupt, but something's just occurred to me. .. Remember when we first met, you told me that fairies were intoxicating to vampires, and that they'd want to drain you dry?" She nodded. "How come Eric and Pam don't react any more when you've been with me?"

She smiled, "You're not the only one who's been learning new skills… My grandfather has taught me how to mask my scent so that I can spend time with you, without putting either of us in danger."

"Wow! Do you think I could learn that?"

Claudine nodded as Tray inhaled, "You don't smell too much like a fairy to me, Sookie. You probably don't need to learn."

"She doesn't at the moment," replied Claudine, "but the more powers she develops, the stronger her essence will become. Eric's scent will help to disguise the fairy scent to a degree, but it will still be there, and she will need to do something if she wants to spend any length of time with vampires."

"So if I don't learn to mask my scent, I won't be able to spend time with Eric or Pam?" I asked, getting a little distressed.

"I don't think Eric or Pam would be an issue," Claudine answered quickly. "They both love you too much for anything like that to be an issue for them."

"I hope you're right, Claudine," I huffed.

"I'm sure she is, Sook, but I'll investigate whether there are any potions or anything that I can brew up for you, just in case," Amelia offered.

"Please, Amelia. I don't care if it tastes as bad as that last potion you made me, so long as I can stay with Eric!"

"Ladies, I think it's time to stop scaring the living daylight out of Sookie. She's got enough on her mind without you both adding to it. We'll be at Verena Rose's in less than two minutes," Tray advised.

Suddenly, I thought, "Hey, guys… don't you need an appointment for this place? I know it's 'the' place to go for wedding dresses."

"Normally you do, but on Tuesdays they have a kind of open day, where anyone can go without an appointment. The only thing is, I hear it can get quite busy," Claudine explained.

"That's right, Sookie. Please stay in the car with Claudine and Amelia until I've checked out the store. As I said earlier, the owner of the store is in the Shreveport pack, so I will have a word with her and explain your situation, and maybe she'll agree to giving you some time alone in the store," Tray instructed.

"I will but Tray, I can't ask her to close the store whilst I'm there. What about just seeing if there's a back room or something that we can use," I suggested.

Tray nodded, "That'll work. I'll be back in a minute." He jumped out of the car, and bounded towards the store. The three of us sat in tense silence, waiting for Tray to return. We were all lost in our own thoughts, and I was hoping that they would be able to accommodate us in the store without too many problems. After about five minutes, Tray jogged back to the car. He pulled open the driver's door, and leaned in with a grin on his face. "Good news! They're not due to open up after lunch for another five minutes, but they've agreed to keep the store closed for another half-hour to let you browse. They have space in their work area out back that you can use to try on gowns after that."

"That's fantastic!" Amelia exclaimed, undoing her seatbelt. "Come on, let's go. Time's awaistin'!" She was out of the car, waiting for Claudine and me before she'd even finished the sentence.

I laughed, "I guess that's our cue!"

Tray stationed himself near the counter, which stood half-way between the front door of the store, and the door to the back room, while the three of us separated to browse racks and racks of beautiful gowns.

Claudine and Amelia both had an idea of what I was looking for, and I trusted them both to pick out dresses that not only suited me, but would suit the occasion. Every so often, one of or other of them would exclaim something like, "Oh, Sookie, you've got to see this one."

After about twenty minutes, we'd chosen about eight dresses between us, and the store owner, who had introduced herself to us as Adabel, had hung them on a rack in the back room for me to try on.

Adabel opened up the shop, and Claudine and Amelia came out the back. The dresses that we'd chosen were all quite different from one another, and I chose 5 that I wanted Pam to see: a 1950's style tea-length dress, a pure red dress that I knew Eric would love, a Grecian style dress, white dress with red embroidery on the bust, skirt and train, and a dress which reminded me of Marilyn Monroe's white dress.

I spoke with Adabel, who had been able to sense the 'otherness' of Claudine, Amelia and me, as soon as we'd stepped into the store. This time, there was no need for a fake sob story, I just told her that my best friend was a vamp, and that I wanted her to help me choose a dress. Adabel kindly agreed to hold the dresses that I'd selected, and to open the store later tonight so that Pam could come and look with me. She also offered to take the dress that we had in the car to prevent it from getting creased, and to stop Eric from seeing it.

I thanked her profusely, and agreed to call her as soon as we were on our way from Bon Temps so that she could get back to the store to open up for us.

"What a lovely woman!" Amelia commented as we climbed back into the car.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," I agreed. I checked the clock on the dashboard, "Gosh, we'd getter be getting back! I need to cook dinner for Jason, and we need to get back here at a reasonable time so that Pam can see the dresses."

"Don't worry about taking me back to the mall then. I'll just 'pop' back to my car," Claudine offered.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course! Taking me back to the mall would mean going out of your way. Just head home."

"Thank you Claudine! I'll give you a call so that we can meet up some time over the next few days."

She agreed, and thanked me for inviting her shopping, before hugging me and disappearing with a POP.

"Come on, let's get you home…" Tray said, pulling onto the highway.

* * *

This is the closest picture I can find to the wedding dress in the first store, but the one in my mind doesn't have quite so full a skirt. It gives you the idea though: www(dot)weddingdressesfactory(dot)co(dot)uk/470-891-large/2011-hot-sell-strapless-embroidery-empire-bodice-wedding-dress-with-floor-length-ball-gown-tulle-wedding-gown-wf-0028(dot)jpg

The evening gown: www(dot)preciousformals(dot)com/precious_formals/view/p55021(dot)html

From Verena Rose:

The dress with red embroidery : www(dot)weddingdressprice(dot)com/images/l/Wedding%20dress%20with%20color/HSC0014(dot)jpg

The tea-length 1950's style dress: cuttingedgebrides(dot)com/images/1950s%20style%20wedding%20dress%20ivy%20side(dot)jpg

The Grecian style dress: www(dot)net-a-porter(dot)com/product/61902

The Marilyn Monroe dress: www(dot)dress-shop(dot)com/wedding_dresses-WM-0391/Chiffon-Sexy-V-neck-with-Ruched-Bodice-and-Slim-A-line-Skirt-2011-Halter-Wedding-Dress-WM-1012161316(dot)jpg

The red dress: redhotbrides(dot)com/blog/media/blogs/redhotbrides/RedItems/tuscany_red1(dot)jpg


	39. Chapter 39 Dinner With Jason

Blimey, it's an update for Blood on Blood – it must be a miracle! Sorry it's taken a while guys, but after I wrote the next couple of chapters, I just wasn't happy with them. So, I had to go back to the drawing board with them, and I'm much happier with them now

Usual thanks to **TezyJ** and **Claire** for being my pre-readers, and of course, I don't own anything…

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**Chapter Thirty Nine – Dinner with Jason**

We called in to the grocery store on the way home. I'd decided that I was going to cook Jason his favourite meal because although he knew about Eric, he hadn't spent any time with him and I knew our news would come as a shock to him, so I wanted to soften the blow as much as possible.

I picked up some lovely steaks, and the ingredients for Gran's pecan pie at the store, then hurried home to marinate the steaks. Jason was coming to dinner at 7, so I had about an hour and a half to prepare the food, then a half-hour with Eric to get ready.

I prepared the meal, and put the pie in the oven to bake, then did a quick scan of the ground floor. I was even more grateful that Amelia had cleaned up this morning, because it was one less thing for me to worry about tonight. I was worried about how Jason would react to our news because he could be a bit of a redneck when he wanted to be. I tried to focus on the words he'd used when I first told him about Eric, and hoped that they were still true now.

When there was nothing else for me to do downstairs, I made my way up to our bedroom, and was surprised to find Eric awake. The sun wouldn't set for another hour, but his age allowed him to wake early, and so long as he remained in the dark, he was perfectly safe. "Lover, what has you so worried?"

"A couple of things – I'm thinking about how Jason might react to our news tonight, and I caught Tray thinking of something this morning when he came in after checking the old Compton house, and I'm not sure what to make of it. I'm probably over-reacting, but I can't help but worry."

"It will be absolutely fine, I'm sure. Whatever Tray was thinking about, I'm sure he'll tell me later, and I'm sure Jason will be happy for you," he responded confidently.

"You're probably right, but..."

"I'm _always_ right, lover!"

I laughed, "If you say so!"

"I do," he smirked. "Now come here and kiss me, then tell me what you've been up to today."

I climbed onto the bed and wrapped my arms around him. "I can't get too comfortable, because dinner is in the oven," I stated before telling him about my day shopping with the girls.

"What do the dresses look like?"

I guessed that he was only asking to distract me from worrying, but I let him. "I'm not telling you, Eric! We may not be the most traditional bride and groom, but I'm not letting you see the dress, or even tell you what it looks like, before we get married."

Eric huffed, "OK, lover. Let's talk about something else."

"Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about..." I started hesitantly.

"You're afraid," he stated.

"A little," I admitted. "I found something out today, and I'm not sure how you're going to react when I tell you." Eric looked worried, so I ploughed on. "Claudine told me that as my fae abilities get stronger, so will my fae scent. She's learned to mask hers, so that she can spend time with me, but I may not be able to."

"I suspected as much," Eric acknowledged. "Your scent has gotten a little stronger since we first met."

Tears started streaming down my face, "Oh God, no! That means that I won't be able to be with you... We should just call off the wedding now, before..."

"Sookie stop," Eric interrupted. "I honestly don't think we'll have a problem. The only vampires you spend any time with are me and Pam, and we both love you too much to cause you any harm. Besides that, when you and I bond, it will be a physical impossibility for me to hurt you because I would only hurt myself."

"Claudine said the same thing about you and Pam, but it's a big risk."

"One you're willing to take?" he asked gently.

I took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Yes. I can't imagine my life without you in it, and I'd rather die than not be with you."

He nodded, then kissed me soundly. "I love you, Sookie Stackhouse. I will never let any harm come to you."

"I love you too Eric." I snuggled into his arms again, feeling more content. After a few minutes, I broke our comfortable silence, "We'll have to get up and get ready. Jason will be here in less than an hour, and I still need to finish off dinner."

"Come on then, let's have a shower," he suggested as he walked around to my side of the bed and held his hand out to me. He led me into the bathroom, where he turned on the shower, then removed my clothes. He was completely unhurried in his movements, his hands wondering slowly round my body and his lips and tongue working sensuously against my own. I could feel every bit of love he poured into his actions, and my own actions reflected my love back on him.

We moved into the now steaming shower, and continued to explore each other with hands and lips. He spun me around so that my back was to his chest then took the soap, and massaged my breasts carefully before sliding his hands south. I gasped as his fingers slid over my nub, and tangled my fingers into the hair at the back of his neck, pulling him closer to kiss him. While our passion built, our movements remained unhurried. Eric slipped his fingers into me, thrusting them slowly, in time with his tongue in my mouth, whilst his palm moved against my nub.

The feelings that Eric had ignited in me meant that it wasn't long before I was pulsing around his fingers, moaning his name into his mouth. He continued to kiss me, and rock his hand slowly until I came down from my high. I sighed as he withdrew his hand, and he smiled against my lips.

"I love you Sookie. Always," he murmured as he turned and lifted me. My legs automatically wrapped around his waist as he moved us so that my back was against the cool tile.

"I love you too Eric," I moaned as he slowly filled me. When he was buried to the hilt, he stilled his movements, and I savoured the full feeling. I pulled him back down for another kiss, and he started moving in a torturously slow rhythm. This was completely different from the way we'd made love before, but it was perfect. I knew that Eric could feel the love pouring off me, and that if our bond was complete, I'd feel the same from him. As it was, he still managed to show me the depth of his feelings for me. After several, passionate minutes, we both reached out climax, sighing and moaning each other's name. He continued to hold me for a couple of minutes, and it was during this time that I realised that no matter what the future threw at us, we would face it together. His actions today had reassured me of that.

Eventually, I sighed, "We'd better get a move on, Jason will be here soon."

He nodded, then grabbed the shampoo to wash my hair. While I was rinsing my hair, he lathered up his own, and stepped under another jet to rinse off. We both finished at the same time, and Eric turned off the water before stepping out of the shower and handing me a towel.

We dried off, and dressed in companionable silence, then Eric asked, "May I braid your hair for you?"

My hair was still wet, but I knew that Eric would be quicker at doing my hair than I would, and we were running out of time, so I agreed with a simple, "Please."

He smiled at me as I sat in front of the dresser and let him work his magic. His touch was feather light, and in less than a minute, my hair was pulled back into an intricate French braid. I stood and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. "Thank you."

He took my hand and we walked down the stairs together. The sun was setting, and was low enough in the sky not to cause Eric any problems. When we arrived in the kitchen, Eric set the table while I finished up dinner. The pie was cooked to perfection, and was now cooling on the worktop. I was cooking the steak when Jason stepped in through the back door.

"Hey Sook." He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek. "Something smells good," he smiled as he stole a pecan off the top of the pie and popped it into his mouth.

I couldn't help but laugh as he opened his mouth a little and fanned his face as the heat of the nut hit him. "Serves you right!"

Eric was grinning at Jason's antics, "Hello Jason, how are you?"

Jason was still blowing out puffs of air in an attempt to cool his mouth down when he replied, "Hey Eric. I'm good man. You?"

"I'm extremely good. Would you like a drink?" I smiled at the domesticity of the situation, and how good a host Eric was being.

"I'll have a beer please."

Eric nodded, and got Jason a beer out of the fridge. While he was there, he got himself a True Blood, and me a glass of wine. He popped his bottle into the microwave to head as I plated up the steak and fries.

We all sat at the table, enjoying our meals, and making small talk. I was glad that Jason wasn't as observant as Amelia, because I wanted to put this conversation off as long as possible. It wasn't because I didn't want Jason to know, I really did want to shout it from the rooftops. I guess I just wanted Jason to accept us, and deep down, I was worried that he wouldn't.

After we'd finished our meal, Jason slumped in his chair patting his belly with both hands. "Sookie, that was amazing. Thank you."

"Thank you for coming, Jason." I looked at Eric, who nodded in encouragement, then took a deep breath before starting. "Jase, we've got something to tell you..."

_She can't be pregnant. Vamps can't so that... what else can it be that has her so nervous to tell me?_ His eyes scanned my face, worried. _Is she dying? Is he gonna change her?_

"You know that Eric lives here now... "Jason nodded, and Eric held my left hand in his. With the way that Eric was holding my hand, Jason would surely see my ring, but he was still focussed on my face. I looked at Eric and smiled, "Eric proposed to me while we were in New York."

Jason's eyes finally dropped to my hand, and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. His face was going through various shades of red and purple, and I was seriously worried about his health. I tried listening to his thoughts to get an idea what was going through his head, even his thoughts seemed to have stalled.

I shared a worried glance with Eric, then reached my hand across the table, "Jason..."

Hearing his name seemed to snap him out of it, and he finally took a breath. "Sook, are you sure? You've known him for like, 5 minutes. Not to mention he's a vamp..."

"Jason Stackhouse!" I interrupted sternly. "Don't you dare talk about Eric like he's not in the room." I gave Eric a loving look, and squeezed his hand. "I've never been so sure about anything in my life. I've been drawn to Eric since the day we met, and the more time we spend together, the more I love him."

Eric raised my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles gently, "I love you too, Sookie. And yes, Jason, I am a vampire, but that does not mean that I don't have feelings. I have walked this earth for over a thousand years, and I have never felt for anyone what I feel for your sister. Now, either you will accept this, and be happy for your sister, or you and I may have words. I will not let anything threaten her health or happiness." The last was said in a slightly threatening tone, and Jason winced a little, obviously realising that 'having words' with Eric was not something he wanted to do.

He was silent for a moment longer, observing Eric and I together. Eventually, he swallowed and said, "I am happy for you. Both. I just don't want my little sister rushing into anything. But I can tell that you both love each other, and I guess that's all that matters. I just want to be sure that I walk her down the aisle towards the right guy."

By this point, I had tears dripping from my eyes. Jason stood and rounded the table to wrap me in his arms. "Don't cry, Sook. This is supposed to be a happy time for you," he chuckled as he planted a kiss on my forehead.

"I am happy, Jason. I'm just so pleased you've accepted this. Did you mean it when you said you'd walk me down the aisle?"

"Of course! What else would I do on my sister's wedding day?"

I sniffled, "Oh thank you Jason!" I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. I looked up to Eric, who was smiling, and I grinned back, pulling away from Jason.

"Thank you Jason. This means a lot to both of us," Eric said, putting his hand out towards Jason. I was stunned. It is not the vampire way to shake hands, and definitely not with a human.

Jason looked a little wary as he saw Eric reach across the table, but quickly stretched his own hand out to shake Eric's. "All I'm going to say is, don't hurt her Eric. She's all I've got left in the world, and I will kill you if you do anything to hurt her."

"I wouldn't expect anything less, but you have my word that I won't hurt her. I love her too much for that."

Jason nodded, "So long as we're in agreement..."

The atmosphere was a little serious now, so I decided to change the subject. "We're having our engagement party at Eric's club on Halloween. It'll be part of the main party, so its fancy dress, but we'd like you to be there." I still referred to Fangtasia as Eric's club, even though I owned a third of it, because no-one knew about my new-found wealth.

"Sure, I'll be there." He looked at the clock on the wall. "Look, I'm sorry to do this, but I wasn't expecting your news, so I arranged a date for tonight, and I'm going to have to leave now, else I'll be late."

I internally sighed in relief, because I had to go back to Shreveport, and although Eric and Jason seemed to have reached some agreement, I wasn't sure how wise it would be to leave them alone together for any length of time. "It's OK, Jase. Eric and I have to go into Shreveport anyway." Eric raised an eyebrow at me, so I continued, "Eric has work to do, and I'm going out with Pam to select a wedding dress."

Jason nodded, "OK, I'll get going then." He kissed me on the forehead and shook Eric's hand again before moving to the back door. He was on his way out before he turned with a confused look on his face. "Wedding dress? Can you guys legally get married already?"

I cleared my throat, "Um, no. Not yet. We're going to have a vampire ceremony in about 5 weeks. Then, as soon as it's legal, we're getting married human style."

"Oh, OK," he nodded. I was surprised; I expected a lot more from him than that. "See you guys later."

I watched him jog down to his truck and hop in, before pulling away down the driveway.

I heaved a sigh of relief, "That went better than I expected!"

"Me too." Eric stood and wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me soundly on the lips. I ran my tongue over his bottom lip, and he pulled away, not allowing me to deepen the kiss. "Before we get too carried away, we should clean up and get ready to go out."


	40. Chapter 40 Decisions, Decisions

Hey guys! Sorry this took so long – I had finished this chapter and started on the next, but I really wasn't happy with it, so I went back to the drawing board. This version of the chapter fits so much better than the original version, so I hope you like it. And for those of you who reviewed my last chapter, please accept my apologies for not responding, but I really wanted to focus my energies on getting this out.

As always, thanks to my pre-readers, **TezyJ** and **Claire** and obviously, you know I don't own the characters.

Oh, and I've set up a blog on blogspot (scange-bloodonblood(.)blogspot(.)com) which contains all of the pictures & tunes I've linked to in the story so far. I realised that some of the links no longer worked, so I decided to put them all in one place that you can easily access. It's pretty basic, but it contains all you need!

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**Chapter Forty – Decisions, Decisions**

We worked together to clean up the kitchen, and Eric checked that the front door was locked while I called Adabel to tell her I'd be there in about an hour. When I was finished, Eric took my hand as we left through the back door. We locked up quickly, then went down into our newly built garage.

"We'll take your car, since you're going out with Pam, and I know you don't feel comfortable driving my car." He still teased me about getting the smell of Were in his car after I'd asked Alcide to move his car for me the day I got the driveway gravelled.

I rolled my eyes, "You're never gonna let me live that down are you?"

He smirked, "Probably not!"

"Fine! I'll remember that the next time I need to buy tampons. You may just find that I'm not able to make it to the shop."

He looked at me in horror, "You wouldn't!" I nodded seriously. "OK! I will never again mention the fact that you were too scared to move my car a few feet. That said, I would like to see you behind the wheel of my car one day I'm sure it would be a sight to behold." He wiggled his eyebrows, making it clear to me which direction his thoughts were heading in.

I burst out laughing, "You really do have a one-track mind, don't you!"

"Only where you're concerned, lover. Speaking of which, let's get going. The sooner we get there, the sooner we get back home, and the sooner I can do to you what I have in mind for you."

My thighs clenched at the thought, and I really hoped that Pam could help me choose a dress quickly tonight, because I really wanted to get back home with Eric. Eric sniffed the air dramatically, and smirked at me before asking, "What had you so worried about Tray earlier on?"

"I'm not really sure. He went out to check around the grounds, and to check the Compton house, and when he came back he kept thinking he had to speak with you about something. I didn't catch what, but it's had me on edge all day really."

"Did you pick up on anything?"

"No. I cast my mind out as far as I could, but I could only 'hear' Amelia and Tray."

"That's good. It means that there was no-one anywhere near the house. I will speak with Tray after you and Pam leave tonight, and I will find out what had him spooked."

"Will you tell me what he says?"

He looked at me seriously for a few seconds before saying, "I will."

"Thank you, Eric. I don't think I would be able to rest without knowing what's going on."

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, Angel. But I want you to feel safe, so I will do whatever I can to make that happen."

I took a deep breath, then let it out before saying, "I know. Thank you."

He nodded, "Come now, Angel. No more thinking about this for now. You are going dress shopping with Pam tonight, and I want you to enjoy yourself."

I grinned, "I will!"

Eric parked in his usual spot behind Fangtasia, and came round to help me out of the car. He held my hand as we walked towards the employee entrance. When we stepped inside the door, he pushed me up against the wall, and planted a kiss on me.

I lost myself in the kiss, and was panting when he pulled away. "What was that for?" I laughed.

"I wanted to remind you of how much I love you, and to try to help you forget your worries," he chuckled. "Did it work?"

"It did. Kiss me again, so I can forget all of my worries," I answered as I pulled him down for another kiss.

We were interrupted by Pam clearing her throat, "Are you two going to spend all night making out like teenagers in the dark corridor?"

I was blushing as Eric answered, "I wouldn't spend _all_ night making out, Pamela. I can think of many more things we could be doing…"

"I'm sure you can, but Sookie and I must be going, otherwise she'll be getting married naked."

Eric's eyebrows waggled at that prospect, so I slapped him gently on the arm (it wasn't worth slapping him hard, I'd only hurt myself). "Eric! I will not marry you naked. And, would you really want me naked in front of all of those people?"

That seemed to sober him up a bit, "I would not allow anyone else to see you naked. You are mine, and only I am permitted to see you naked."

"Hmmm, that's what I thought. Now let me go, so I can go and pick my dress." I wriggled out of his grip and held my hand out to Pam, who was laughing at Eric's reaction to the thought of other people seeing me naked. "Come on, Pam. Let's go, before he changes his mind."

We arrived at Verena Rose about fifteen minutes later, and Adabel let us in when we knocked. "Thank you so much for opening late for us tonight, Adabel. I really appreciate it."

"That's no problem, Sookie. I do what I can to help all of my brides."

I smiled, and nodded, before introducing Pam. "This is my best friend, Pam. She's gonna help me choose a dress, or maybe two. I need one for my bonding and pledging with Eric, and another for our 'human style' wedding. I know it's not legal to marry 'human style' yet, but we're hoping it will be soon, and I need to be prepared."

Adabel nodded, "OK, so have you got something specific in mind? I know you've already chosen a few dresses, but it would be good to get a clear idea of what you want before you try on the dresses."

"We're getting married vampire style at the summit in Rhodes in a few weeks, and there'll be loads of vamp royalty there, so I don't want to go over the top and show any queens up with my dress. It's gonna be pretty dangerous for us there anyway because I'll be seen as just a human, and obviously it's not common for vampires to want to bond or pledge to a human. Having a dress that shows up a queen would just make it more dangerous for me."

"Despite all that, Sookie will be pledging to one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in the continent, so she needs to have a dress that is fitting for that occasion," Pam added.

"Right, so we want a fabulous dress that's not over the top." Adabel clarified, as she sorted through the dresses that I had selected earlier in the day. She pulled out some of the dresses that I'd chosen in the morning and set them to one side. "I think these ones fit the bill," she said as she set aside the tea-length dress, the Grecian style dress and the one I'd named the Marilyn Monroe dress.

Pam looked at the dresses I'd chosen, and nodded at the ones that Verena had set aside. "I think you're right. These other dresses, whilst beautiful, are just not right for the company you'll be keeping at Rhodes."

"Great, well let's get them tried on again. I still want to try the others on so I can see if any of them are right for our 'human' wedding. Plus, I need to decide on this one, so I can take it back to the store tomorrow if I decide not to keep it," I said as I motioned towards the dress which I'd bought at the mall.

I walked into the changing room, and tried on the first dress, which was the tea-length one. I stepped out of the changing room and stepped onto the raised dais in front of 3 huge mirrors which allowed me to see the dress from every angle. I hadn't had the benefit of this earlier in the day, so I was really getting the opportunity to see the dresses properly for the first time. I watched Pam's reaction as I came out of the changing room; she was quiet, which told me that she wasn't keen on the dress.

Looking at my reflection in the 3 floor to ceiling mirrors, I decided that the dress wasn't right. "I'm not sure… it just doesn't feel like a wedding dress to me. I know I've got to be careful not to go over the top, but I just feel that this isn't… enough… for where we're getting married."

"I agree," said Pam. "This dress is lovely, but it's more for a wedding to be held somewhere like your back yard on a summer's day."

"You're right," I agreed as I stepped back to floor level. I walked back into the changing room, where Verena helped me change into the next dress, which was the Grecian style dress. When I stepped onto the dais this time, I felt much more confident in this choice. I looked at Pam, who was smiling, "This is better, isn't it?" I asked.

"It certainly is. You look like a Greek Goddess in that dress." Pam's fangs were starting to run down, so I knew that this was a better choice than the first dress. I smiled at her as I looked at the back of the dress in the mirror.

"So this one's a 'yes' then?" Pam nodded in agreement, "great. I'm not gonna go for it though until you've seen all of them." I stepped back into the changing room, and changed into the last dress, the one that reminded me of 'that' Marilyn Monroe dress.

As soon as I walked into the room, I heard Adabel gasp, and Pam just whistled her approval.

When I stepped onto the dais, Pam exclaimed, "Sookie, you look stunning. THAT is the one!" I looked over to Adabel, who was nodding in agreement.

"It's almost as though that dress was made for you, Sookie. It's perfect, and," she said, standing in front of me, checking the cut of the dress, "you won't need to have this one altered at all."

I looked at my reflection in the three floor to ceiling mirrors, and grinned, "Ladies, I think we have a winner!"

"We certainly do, Eric will not be able to keep his eyes, or hands, off you in that dress," Pam agreed.

"What should I do with my hair? Up or down?" I looked to the two ladies for their opinions.

"I'm not sure," answered Adabel. "Both would look good, but I would defer to Pam's expertise in this area. If you wear it up, you will be exposing your neck in the company of vampires other than your own, and I'm not sure if that would be good etiquette."

I looked to Pam, who looked thoughtful, "I think you should perhaps curl your hair and pull it over one shoulder. You should leave your back exposed, because it would be a shame to cover such beautiful skin. Or you could put it into a loose low bun, and put a flower in your hair."

"That would leave my neck exposed though, Pam."

She nodded, "It would, but I think you do need to have your neck exposed somewhat as a sign of deference to Eric." She shot me a look, before continuing, "Before you say anything, I know that that isn't the way that you and Eric are, but you need to be seen that way by other vampires."

"I know. I wasn't going to say anything. Actually, I think it's a sign of trust in Eric if I show my neck."

"She makes a good point," Adabel reasoned. "If she exposes her neck, she's showing that she defers to Eric in terms of offering her neck, but she also shows her trust in him to keep her safe. I think the loose bun would look perfect."

"Yeah, and I think I know the perfect jewellery to wear," I added. I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, then turned to Adabel, "I'll take this one, but I'd like to try the other dresses on to see if I can decide on one for the human ceremony."

I went back into the changing room with Adabel hot on my tail. She hung up the dress that I had chosen, then motioned towards the other dresses. "Which would you like to try on first?"

"The gauzy one I bought this morning, I think." She nodded, and helped me into the dress silently. Once I was changed, I went back into the main area of the store to show Pam. "I bought this one this morning from another store, but they agreed that they would take it back and refund me if I took it back to them tomorrow."

She studied me closely, "It's gorgeous, Sookie! You look like a real live Barbie or Disney Princess or something in that dress. It's like every little girl's dream wedding dress."

"It is, isn't it?" I beamed back at her. "I still have 2 more dresses to try on, though; and we don't have to make a decision tonight for a dress for this ceremony." I told her as I inspected my reflection in the mirror. "One of them, I'm really not sure about, so I'm torn between this and one other."

I walked back to the changing room, and Adabel helped me change into the red dress. I knew Eric loved red, but to me, a wedding dress should be white, so I really wasn't sure about this one. Walking back into the changing room, I watched Pam's expression closely.

She pursed her lips, and hummed before saying, "I don't think so, Sookie. Eric loves red, but this just isn't you. You're more of a white bridal gown kinda girl."

I nodded furiously at her, "I'm so glad you said that, because when I was putting this dress on again, I realised that it wasn't what I wanted. Yes, Eric loves red, but I think this is a bit too much. Maybe the next dress will be right." I hopped down off the dais and went back into the changing room, where Adabel helped me change into the last dress; the white one with red embroidery. I loved this dress, and was torn between this and the one I bought at the mall this morning. Once I was changed, Adabel walked back to the main room with me.

"I'm torn between this one and the one from the mall this morning – ladies what do you think?" I asked as I stepped onto the dais for the final time.

"I think they're both beautiful, Sookie," Pam replied. Adabel nodded in agreement. "Which one feels like _the_ dress to you?"

"I don't know. I like them both just the same. I think one thing that's keeping me from making a decision is the thought in the back of my mind that I won't be wearing either one any time soon. I mean, you guys have only just come out of the coffin, so there's not really much chance of the law being changed any time soon so that Eric and I can get married legally."

"Ok, Sookie. Forget about that for the minute. If you could marry Eric this week, which dress would you choose?" asked Adabel.

I closed my eyes and imagined myself standing at the altar at my church with Eric, and tried to picture the dress I'd be wearing. I took a deep breath, then spoke, "I think this one."

Pam was grinning at me when I opened my eyes, "There you go then, that is _the_ dress. The benefit of having to wait a while is that you have plenty of time to shop for shoes and the other accessories that you need for your wedding day. However, I do have the perfect pair of shoes in mind for your other dress," she said as she pulled out her cell phone and started tapping on the keypad. "There, what do you think of those?" she asked, turning her phone so that I could see the screen.

Adabel stepped closer too, so that she could see the image that Pam had brought up of the most beautiful silver Louboutin's. "Wow, they're beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" I giggled. "I've gotta get me some of those, you're right, Pam, they're perfect."

"I know. Let me order some in your size while you go and change back into your normal clothes. We need to get you back to Eric."

"Ok, that sounds good," I hurried back to the dressing room with Adabel in tow so that she could help me change out of the dress. I quickly changed, and handed my credit card to Adabel to pay for the two dresses, and wrapped them up, along with the one I had to take back to the mall tomorrow, and told me to call her when I was ready to have a fitting for my 'human' wedding dress. I nodded, and thanked her for her time and assistance as Pam helped me carry the three dresses out to the car.

"Pam, how am I going to stop Eric from seeing these dresses?"

"Easy. My house is on the way back to Fangtasia, so we can drop them off there on the way. You can come round to mine before we go to Rhodes to try on the dress and the shoes when they arrive, and we can try out some different hairstyles with it."

"That sounds perfect! Thank you Pam."

"Good. Now let's get you back to Eric."

"Yeah, let's. I need to know what Tray had to tell him earlier." Pam raised her eyebrow in question, so I told her about what I'd 'heard' Tray thinking earlier today.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. If it was, he would have had you out of the house and into Eric's safe house," she said confidently. "Plus, if there was something to worry about, Eric would have called us by now."

"Yeah, you're probably right." I agreed, and I fervently hoped that she was.


	41. Chapter 41 Old Friends

Hi guys, I'm back! I'm _**so**_ sorry it's taken me so long to get this out, but I've had a serious case of writers block.

Anyway, I know you're all chomping at the bit waiting to find out what's on Tray's mind, so no long-ass author's note from me. This chapter also sees the introduction of another familiar face in this chapter.

Usual thanks and disclaimer applies.

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**Chapter 41 – Old Friends**

We arrived back at Fangtasia about 30 minutes after leaving Verena Rose, as we called in to Pam's house to drop off the dresses that I'd decided to keep. I was feeling anxious to find out what had Tray so disturbed this morning, so after checking whether Eric was in his office, I rushed out into the bar to find him. He was sitting in his booth talking with another vampire, who I didn't recognise.

Realising that he was with someone else, I slowed my approach, and stood a respectful distance from the booth until Eric acknowledged me. As soon as he looked in my direction, I bowed as Pam had shown me, and I watched Eric's face as bowed, and was pleased to see him smile in reaction to my formal approach. He held a hand out to me and pulled me towards him as he introduced me to his companion, "Stan, this is Sookie, my lover and soon to be pledged." I was surprised that he'd introduced me as such, because we were supposed to be keeping it secret, and though I tried not to react, Eric must have felt my surprise, "Sookie, Stan is one of my oldest friends."

I nodded my head respectfully towards Stan, "Good to meet you, Stan."

"You too, Sookie. It's nice to meet the woman that's finally tamed the Viking," he replied with a chuckle. "I understand you've been having a problem with a certain… foolish vampire?" he asked.

"Um, yeah," I replied eloquently.

"Eric, you've taken your suspicions to your Queen, and that has only made the situation worse?" he asked, looking to Eric.

Eric nodded, then suggested, "Perhaps we should take this conversation somewhere more private?" He squeezed my hand, and I stood to lead the way towards Eric's office.

Walking towards the door, I lowered my shields slightly to listen for anything untoward, but all I heard was jealous thoughts from people wondering how I'd managed to snag not one but two vampires. I rolled my eyes and raised my shields again.

When we reached the door, I held it open to allow Eric and Stan to pass before following them into the corridor. Eric returned the favour as we reached his office. When we stepped into the office, he gestured towards the leather sofa and chair set. Stan sat in the chair, leaving the sofa for Eric and me.

Ever since we'd discovered that Victor Madden had been breaking into Pam & Eric's offices, we made sure to scan the rooms every day for any listening devices, and Eric had invested in some kind of signal jamming device that he carried with him, just in case. He reached into his pocket, and turned the device on before setting it on the small coffee table in front of him. Stan raised his eyebrows, so Eric explained, "Yes, we've had a problem with Victor Madden. He broke into my office and planted a listening device, and while I check every day for more, I don't like to take any chances when it comes to Sookie's wellbeing. She has been through enough because of that asshole to last a lifetime."

Stan looked to me for an explanation, so I told him about the injuries I'd suffered at the hands of Madden's minion. "Sounds like you're lucky to be alive?" he commented as I finished my story.

"I am indeed."

"Fortunately, Sookie has a lot of friends who are willing to look out for her. Her best friend is my progeny and her other best friend is a witch, whose partner is the Were I've hired to act as Sookie's bodyguard during the day." I noticed he didn't mention Claudine at all.

Stan inhaled sharply, "That explains the faint scents of magic and shifter that I smell, but not the scent of fae." He gave Eric a pointed look.

Eric heaved an unnecessary sigh, then reluctantly admitted, "No, it does not. Sookie is part fae, and has recently begun to come into her abilities." Stan's eyes nearly popped out of his head in reaction to Eric's admission. Eric hastily added, "No vampire other than myself and Pam knows that, and I'd like to keep it that way. The last thing we need is for Sookie to become a target for all vampires."

Stan nodded in agreement. "The scent is mild enough that only vampires who have had… dealings… with the fae would recognise it, and only then I think if they get close to Sookie. She's obviously had your blood though, because your scent is just as strong as the fae scent. I think most people would believe that Sookie is just a sweet smelling human." Listening to Eric and Stan talk about me in this way was making me feel uncomfortable. Eric felt this, and squeezed my hand.

"I'm glad to have your assessment, Stan; it's been one of the things that has concerned me about taking Sookie to Rhodes next month. I tend not to notice it as much these days since I spend almost every waking hour with Sookie, and Pam doesn't know the scent well enough. I had hoped that my scent would overpower any trace of fae that could be detected, and you have just confirmed that for me." I sagged in relief, but made a conscious decision to increase my efforts to learn how to mask my fae scent.

"Speaking of scents," Eric continued, "Sookie's bodyguard picked up on the scent of a couple of vampires he didn't recognise when he was checking our property earlier today. Perhaps you would be able to accompany us home this evening and come with me to check it out. We have another property right next door to ours which I have retrofitted to be light tight, and you are more than welcome to spend the day there."

"I think I will do that, Eric." Stan agreed, although I will need to leave quite early tomorrow evening if I'm to be back in Dallas before I'm needed again. I will be attending your summit in Rhodes as a delegate from outside of the clan, so I have preparation to do before leaving." Eric had explained to me sometime before that the country had been split into four strips running north to south, and that the summit in Rhodes was for the Amun Clan that we were part of. I remembered that they were named after Gods of ancient times.

I thought hard, then asked Stan, "Are you a member of the Zeus clan? I'm sorry if I seem rude, but if you are, why are you attending the Amun summit?" Stan nodded, and Eric smiled proudly at the fact that I'd remembered what he'd taught me about vampire politics.

"I am indeed a member of the Zeus clan," Stan replied. "Members of each clan attend every summit as observers so that there can be no accusations made of one clan plotting against another. We also attend if we have business or other agreements or disagreements with a member of the clan who is hosting the summit."

I let that sink in, and wondered if Stan was attending as an observer or as someone with business. I knew better than to ask out loud though, in case he was in a disagreement with someone – I would ask Eric later. I was determined to take to heart the lessons that both Eric and Pam had taught me about vampire etiquette, so I kept my curiosity to myself. Eric looked down at me and nodded almost imperceptibly whilst smiling his approval at my lack of further questioning.

"Eric, do you have any idea who the vampires might be that Tray smelled on our property?" I asked to change the subject.

"It can't be Madden, because Tray knows his scent. I suspect he may have recruited someone to do his dirty work again. He's too full of his own self-importance to do any of his own dirty work."

"But he was the one who broke into your office," I disagreed.

"Only because we would have suspected anyone else who hung around here as much as he does. He uses his position as liaison to Louisiana to spend as much time as possible in each Sherriff's territory."

"So why has he taken such an interest in you?" I asked.

"I'm guessing that he is looking for a way to take me out, Sookie. I am the oldest & most powerful vampire in Louisiana, and it's only my lack of interest in becoming king that's kept me in the position I am currently in. I would imagine that he believes that if I was out of the way, Louisiana would be ripe for the picking."

"How so? I thought you had a queen."

"We do, but she's younger than me, and has very extravagant tastes. Louisiana makes a lot of money from all of the tourists who visit New Orleans looking for the whole Anne Rice experience, but we're not seeing that money being invested back into the state. That either means that the queen is wasting money on her frivolous fads or someone is embezzling from her. Whichever it is, it makes her weak; a queen who can't control her spending is most likely a queen in debt, and vampires take debts owed _very_ seriously. If, on the other hand, someone is stealing from her, that shows clear weakness as, if she can't protect her money, how can she protect herself?"

"It's just as well you and I are old friends, Eric," Stan smiled, "because what you have said could be classed as treasonous by any of the queen's court." I gasped quietly, and gave Eric a worried look. "Don't worry, Sookie, I completely agree with Eric's assessments, and I have to say, I'm surprised no-one has made a play for the state before now."

"The 'Berts take their job seriously looking after their mistress, and so far have prevented any physical harm coming to the queen, but if I am correct, then there will be very little that they or anyone else can do to protect her. She already has Arkansas breathing down her neck, seeking marriage with the queen to gain control of the kingdom; and I suspect that De Castro may just go for the kingdom without the bother of marrying her," Eric explained.

"I'm confused. Why would De Castro want Louisiana anyway? Surely it would be difficult for him to rule over two kingdoms which are a thousand miles apart," I queried.

"Money." Eric answered simply, "Nevada has some of the biggest income generators through tourism with Las Vegas and Reno, and before Katrina and the oil spill, New Orleans faired pretty well. He's pragmatic enough to know that with a little time and investment, New Orleans can be brought back to its former glory, maybe even improved upon; and be a great source of income again."

"The way you talk, it doesn't sound like it would be such a bad thing for him to take over. If the queen is as frivolous as you say she is, she's probably not investing as much in redeveloping the city as she could or should do. Maybe De Castro would be the better option," I mused.

"I would agree with you, lover, but for the fact that De Castro is known to be bigoted in his views. His opinion is that vampires should rule over everyone and everything, and that he should rule over all vampires."

"Oh…" I couldn't make any further response to Eric's explanation than that. If this De Castro person was really as bigoted as that, then he _definitely_ wouldn't be the better option.

"So long as he doesn't overstep the mark, then he is tolerated by the other rulers, but there may come a time that he cannot be allowed to continue to rule," Stan added.

I thought about that for a while, then asked, "So, would it not be best to let him overstep the mark, so that he can be taken down a peg or two?"

Eric and Stan shared a look, before Stan spoke, "I like the way she thinks, Eric."

"As do I, Stan," Eric responded with a smirk in my direction. "We can continue this discussion in comfort later. I believe it is time to get Sookie home," he stated, feeling my tiredness.

Stan followed us back to Bon Temps, and we drove onto the Compton driveway, where we all got out of the cars. Being the Southern Belle that I am, I opened the door to the house, and showed Stan where everything he would need was stored, before asking, "Eric, would you mind walking me home? I feel like a walk, and that way, you would get the opportunity of checking out those scents before they're completely lost."

"Certainly, lover. Stan, will you join us? You and I can talk over a True Blood."

"Of course."

We walked through the graveyard towards our house, and I could tell that both Eric and Stan were alert, constantly sniffing the air to pick up any trace of unusual smells. As we got closer to the centre of the graveyard, Stan spoke up, "I can smell two vampires here… I'm familiar with one, but not the other."

"Who do you think it is?"

"Bruno. I don't know his full name, but I do know that he has links with Nevada."

I closed my eyes briefly at Stan's statement, knowing that what he said was further proof of his and Eric's suspicions, and feeling that they were getting a little too close. "Shit! They're getting too close for my liking!" I muttered.

"And for mine, lover. Don't worry though, I **will** keep you safe."

I nodded, "Just take me home, Eric. I don't want to think about this any more tonight."


	42. Chapter 42 Progress

Hi guys (long ass AN here, so sorry ),

I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted you all to know that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I've been suffering some serious writer's block, and on top of that, had some really sad news when a good friend died. Strange thing is, that's what's put the focus back on things. He died suddenly and unexpectedly, and very young (only 37); and it made me realise just how short life is, and that I should enjoy doing what I do, and make the most out of every day…

Anyway, I've been re-working the early chapters of BoB, and will upload the amendments soon. I'm not so sure how it works in terms of getting notifications about re-uploaded chapters, so please check the early chapters too (I'll stick an AN at the top to say when I've updated them). I haven't made any MAJOR changes, but have corrected errors and inconsistencies (and expanded on some things too). I'm not finished yet, and I'm nowhere near finished the story, but I'm happier with the amended chapters (and hope you are all too).

I want to thank you all for your patience, and I promise, I **WILL **finish this story, if it's the last thing I do (and maybe even put up the side story that I have milling through my brain).

Anyway, I've rambled on enough, so I'll get the usual disclaimers out of the way (I own nothing), and get on with the story…

S x

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**Chapter Forty Two – Progress**

Eric and Stan continued to sniff the air as we walked towards my house; and as we arrived on the back porch, Eric squeezed my hand to stop me from moving and inhaled deeply. I could tell from the concentration on his face that he was using all of his senses to check to see if there was anyone in or near the house.

Taking a leaf from his book, I dropped my shields and pushed my mind as far as I could reach. "There's no-one here, Eric," I murmured.

Eric nodded, "I believe you are correct, Lover."

Stan watched our quiet exchange with a bemused look on his face, but didn't say anything. I opened the back door, and stepped inside before turning to Stan and saying, "Please come in, Stan."

Again, Stan looked a little surprised, so I waited until the door was shut behind him, and said, "This is still technically **my** home, although Eric lives here with me. We decided it was safer to keep the deeds in my name only, that way I can allow or reject any vampire guests we might have. With everything that's happened recently, and especially in light of the fact that we now appear to have… unfriendly…. vampires so close to the house, I will do everything in my power to keep myself and my family safe."

"That's a very sensible approach, Sookie," Stan agreed.

"My Sookie has learned the hard way that she must be ever vigilant when it comes to her safety," Eric confirmed.

I was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable with the way that Eric and Stan were talking about me again, so I changed the subject. "Would either of you like a True Blood?" Both vampires nodded, so I got them both a bottle out of the fridge, and warmed them in the microwave. As I was shaking the bottles to distribute the heat, I let out an involuntary yawn. "I'm so sorry! This has been a long day, and I'm exhausted."

Stan smiled, and Eric responded, "That's OK, Lover. Why don't you go on up to bed? Stan and I have much to discuss, and I'm sure you would be better off in bed than staying up listening to us."

"I can't go to bed while we have a guest in the house, Eric!"

"Honestly, Sookie; I don't mind," Stan interjected.

Another yawn slipped out, and I covered my mouth, embarrassed at my complete lack of manners. "Maybe you're right. Are you sure you don't mind me heading up?"

"Of course not. Go and get some sleep, and don't worry about me," Stan said politely.

I looked at Eric, who nodded in confirmation, then relented, "I guess you're right. And if you're gonna be talking vamp politics all night, I'll be better off in bed, cos I'd be bored to sleep with the politics talk anyway!" I grinned cheekily, then kissed Eric on the cheek before saying, "Goodnight both of you. I'll see you both tomorrow?"

Both vampires nodded at me, and Eric squeezed my hand that I'd left on his shoulder before I walked out of the room.

I trudged up the stairs, exhausted, but with my mind whirring about all of the things I had to deal with. There was our engagement/Halloween party; Rhodes, and our pledging; Victor Madden; and now this unknown Bruno person. Despite everything I had whirling round my brain, it didn't take me long to fall asleep.

"_Good evening, my dear," a gorgeous middle-aged man greeted… I looked around, and saw no-one else, so I realised he was greeting me._

"_Um, hi," I responded nervously. I had no idea where I was, or who this man was._

"_I'm Niall Brigant," he informed me, seeming to read my mind. I racked my brains to remember where I'd heard that name before, and I remembered just as the man expanded, "I'm Claudine's grandfather." _

"_I thought I knew your name from somewhere! It's good to meet you."_

"_It's good to meet you too, great-granddaughter," he replied. _

_Wait, what? Great-granddaughter? "You're Fintan's father? You don't look old enough!" I clamped my hand over my mouth as I realised I'd said the last part out loud._

_Niall chuckled, "It's quite alright, child. Fae don't age anything like humans, and we most certainly don't look our age. And to answer your question, yes, I am Fintan's father."_

_I was curious, but determined not to ask him how old he was. I'd already been rude once, and I was also keeping in mind the lessons that Pam, Eric and Claudine had been teaching me about dealing with Supes. Dealing with them was like trying to navigate a minefield, you had to be so careful about the way you spoke and acted; it could be quite draining, but I knew it was critical to my safety, especially somewhere like Rhodes._

"_I can see your curiosity in your eyes child. You are my great-granddaughter, so you should feel free to ask me whatever you want to."_

_I looked around me again. We seemed to be….nowhere… everything about us was white, but I couldn't see any walls, floor or ceiling; we were just standing in a sea of white. "Where are we?"_

"_We are in your dream, child. Things in Fae aren't stable enough at present to allow me the time to leave. I needed to see you, and this was the only way I could make that happen."_

"You _made this happen? You mean you're making me dream of you?" That was a little creepy._

"_In a sense, but the more accurate description would be to say that I was projecting an image of myself into your brain in order that we can converse properly." That still said he was making me dream about him!_

"_Why?" I know that probably sounded rude, but at this point, I was feeling a little disturbed that this man had been able to force his way into my dreams. The thought scared me a little; could anyone else do this?_

"_I needed to see you, as I need to impart some knowledge that only I can provide."_

_I let my silence speak for me; I was still stuck on feeling creeped out by him being in my dreams._

"_I understand you have been attracting some… unwelcome visitors?" I nodded, not sure of how much to give away. "Those visitors have been vampires?" Again, I nodded. "And you're going to a vampire summit with the Viking?" Where did he get this information from? I know Claudine had probably told him that I was going to Rhodes, but I'd only just found out about the vampires on my property a couple of hours ago._

"_I am," I replied curtly._

"_I understand your reluctance to answer me; after all, you don't know who I am." I didn't care if I'd offended him; I was looking out for number 1. "That is a very good attitude to have."_

"_My Gran always told me not to talk to strangers."_

_Again, he chuckled, "Your gran was a wonderful woman."_

_I drew in a sharp breath, "She was." I was now fighting back tears, I still missed Gran terribly._

_After a few beats of silence, Niall continued, "I'm here to teach you a skill that will help you survive. I have been teaching Claudine how to do this, but she hasn't mastered it well enough to pass the knowledge on to you."_

_I frowned, unsure what he was talking about._

"_I'm talking about the ability to mask your scent." Could this man read my mind?_

"_Oh!" my response was so intelligent._

_He stepped towards me, and wrapped his hands around my upper arms. I stiffened. He laid a brief kiss on my forehead, then stepped away. "The knowledge is there, it just needs to be coaxed out." _

_This man was strange!_

"_I cannot remain here for long, as projecting myself into your dreams is quite tiring, and makes me vulnerable in my own world," he explained hurriedly before asking "I believe Claudine has been teaching you how to meditate?"_

"_She has."_

"_Excellent. I want you to meditate now, and imagine yourself curling into a small ball." _

_I closed my eyes, and did as I was told. I breathed in deeply through my nose, and out through my mouth. I emptied my mind, and thought of myself shrinking, so that my 'self' was a miniature version of myself, somewhere in the centre of my body._

"_Excellent," Niall commented quietly. "Now, imagine that ball being placed into a box."_

_My visuals weren't working in exactly the same way that Niall was describing, so I imagined my 'mini me' as the smallest doll in the centre of a Russian doll, then I placed it inside the next doll up. As I did so, I felt the energy that radiated from 'mini me' reduce somewhat._

"_Keep going," Niall whispered._

_I kept adding doll, and Niall uttered encouraging sounds with each doll that was added until he gasped. My eyes sprung open, "What's wrong?"_

_He was grinning, "Nothing's wrong. Tell me what you're doing."_

_I looked down, embarrassed, "Um, I'm kinda imagining myself as a Russian doll. When you first asked me to imagine myself curling into a small ball, I couldn't; but I could see myself shrinking into a sort of mini me."_

"_And your mini me was the centre doll in the Russian doll?" I nodded. "How many layers have you added?"_

"_Six."_

_He was still grinning, "I can't smell you at all! The sound of your breathing and heartbeat are also muted. That is excellent, and it's certainly a talent that is useful so that you can hide your whereabouts if it's required."_

_I beamed back at him. "It's real easy too. Once I've added the dolls to the outside, they're just kinda… there. I don't need to think about them at all."_

"_Excellent! Now, I want you to try something for me. Can you add a seventh layer?" _

_I closed my eyes again and concentrated. I pictured a seventh layer being added to my Russian doll. This was the layer that made mini me back to my normal size. Once I'd done it, I opened my eyes to see Niall looking at me with pride and amazement in his eyes. "How's that?"_

"_If you weren't standing in front of me, and I couldn't see you with my own eyes, I wouldn't know you were there."_

"_Really?" I was so excited by this. I recognised that this could really save my bacon if I found myself needing to hide._

_Niall nodded, "Yes. Now, start taking your dolls away one layer at a time." I closed my eyes briefly, and imagined the seventh layer of doll opening up, and disappearing, then waited for a few second before I removed the sixth layer. I opened my eyes as I heard Niall utter, "Perfect."_

"_Good?" I asked._

"_Better than good. You have masked your fae scent, but I can still tell that you're there. You smell human."_

_The smile on my face was wide enough to split my cheeks. "Thank you so much Niall!" I wrapped my arms around him in a bear hug, which he awkwardly returned. "I've been so worried about people being able to tell what I am and becoming a vamp version of a gourmet meal at Rhodes. Now I know I can do this, and I know it's easy. Thank you so much!" _

"_You're welcome child, now sleep."_

Niall disappeared before my eyes, 'popping' to who knows where; and I felt a sense of accomplishment and peace wash over me. Before I knew it, I'd fallen into the oblivion of a deep, dreamless sleep.

I woke the next morning with a new sense of purpose, Stan had confirmed that the Nevada vamps were getting closer to our home, and I was determined to do what I could to help myself. Niall had shown me how to use my Russian dolls to temper the scent that I gave off, so I spent an hour or so practicing in the peace of our room before deciding to get up for the day.

I made a mental list of things that I wanted or needed to do over the next few weeks before we went to Rhodes. I needed to learn how to defend myself; and I wanted to improve my ability to teleport, or POP, as I liked to call it because of the popping sound that was made as I appeared or disappeared anywhere. I decided to speak with Claudine to see if it was possible to take things with me, hoping that if the need came, I'd be able to POP with Eric.

I also needed to supervise the work that was being done on the bar, as well as make my final preparations for both our engagement/Halloween party and our trip to Rhodes.

Becoming overwhelmed with everything that I had to do, I went downstairs into the kitchen to make myself a much needed cup of coffee. Once the coffee was made, I sat at the kitchen table with the notepad that normally sat next to the telephone, and wrote down everything that I needed to do.

Having done that, I gave Claudine a call, asking her to help me with my teleporting, and anything else that she could think of that might help me. I also called Amelia to see if she could help. Being fae, I knew that I had some magical abilities within me, so I asked if there were any quick spells that might help to get me out of trouble if I needed it.

Feeling more comfortable with what I had to do, I called Tray and asked him to take me to the bar to check on progress on the work there.


	43. Chapter 43 Royalty

What's this? I'm back! It's been a little over a month since my last update, so I'm getting quicker! I have some time off work, and my muse appears to have returned, so hopefully, I'll get the next chapter out a lot quicker this time.

The usual disclaimer applies – I own nothing.

Oh, and, there's a teeny bit of kink in the lemon at the end of the chapter, so I'd say it's NSFW ;)

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**Chapter 43 – Royalty**

Tray parked my Audi in Eric's space behind Fangtasia, then stepped out and sniffed the air before coming round to help me out of the car. While he was checking the air, I used my other 'sense' to check if anything was out of the ordinary. This had become routine for me since I was attacked in Merlotte's; and although it used to bother me, I realised that it was for my safety and did my best to help Tray do his job.

Tray stayed on alert while we walked across the parking lot, and I focused my energy on listening to what was going on inside the building. Although I trusted Alcide and his workers, this was a surprise visit, and I wanted to be sure that they weren't going to try to hide anything from me when I stepped through the door.

I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary, and was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the new space (we'd already had a door knocked through to the new space from the corridor outside of Eric's office). The new space was really taking shape; with the booths and bar already in place. All that really needed to happen now was the painting, the upholstery on the booths, the dance floor and getting everything stocked.

I wandered around the place, stopping every so often to chat with the workers to see how things were going, and stopped when I saw Alcide making marks on the wall between the new part of the club and the existing part.

"Hey Alcide, how's it going?"

"Oh, hey Sookie, I didn't see you come in. It's good. I'm just double checking these measurements to make sure we knock the wall through in the right place."

I snickered, "Yeah, that wouldn't be a good thing, especially since we're doing everything on such a tight deadline."

"I was thinking about that, Sookie…"

"Don't you dare tell me that you're not going to be finished on time, Alcide!" I interrupted him.

"No no. Nothing like that!" I raised my eyebrow at him in a very Eric like move, so he continued, "I was just thinking that maybe it's a better idea to get the wall knocked through sooner rather than later. Knocking the wall through is gonna be a messy job, so it would be better to get it done, and finished with well in advance. That way, we can make sure the walls and floors are finished properly and aren't rushed."

"I can see your point, but what about the existing club? We wanted to surprise people on Halloween."

"I've thought about that too. I was thinking that we could build a false wall on the other side and paint it like the existing walls, so no-one would know the difference."

Tray agreed, "It's dark enough in there that no-one would be able to tell unless they were holding onto the wall, and if anyone's doing that, they're likely to be too drunk to even realise!"

"OK, Alcide," I conceded. "It's Friday today, you get as much as you can done between now and Monday, then you have all day Monday and Tuesday to get that wall knocked through and the false wall built on the other side. If you're not finished by the time we open on Tuesday, I know that Eric won't be happy." I didn't like threatening him, but this wasn't exactly what we planned, and I really didn't want it to go wrong.

"And neither would I, Sookie."

"I know, Alcide, I just worry that our surprise will be ruined if people realise that the wall is false."

"It'll be fine, Sookie, it'll work out."

"I hope you're right, Alcide. I'm trusting you on this."

"I won't let you down."

"You'd better not!" I laughed, looking at my watch. "Right, I'm gonna get out of your hair and let you carry on. It looks great in here though." I turned to Tray, "I have a hankerin' for a burger Lafayette, shall we go to Merlotte's?"

"Sounds good to me, Sookie. Lead the way!"

"Can I drive?" I asked sweetly. "I hardly ever get to drive **my** car!"

He rolled his eyes, then handed me the keys. "Ok, but if we get into trouble, be ready to floor it."

I grinned, "I will!"

We hopped into the car, and I drove us back to Bon Temps, where we pulled into Merlotte's after a little more than forty five minutes.

Sam looked up as we walked through the door, and smiled as he came out from behind the bar to give me a hug, saying, "Hey stranger, long time no see!"

I returned the hug, "hey Sam. It's good to see you!"

"What brings you here?"

"I really wanted a burger Lafayette, so I persuaded Tray to join me," I replied, looking around the bar. Nothing had changed since I was last here, but it felt completely different; maybe because I had changed.

Tray shook Sam's hand, and they exchanged greetings before Sam gestured for us to sit down. We sat in a booth in the corner, so that Tray could see the door. We ordered our food, and I ordered a glass of gin & tonic since I was close to home, and felt I could relax with both Tray and Sam watching over me.

We made small talk between us while we waited for our food to arrive. When the food arrived, I dug in. It really hit the spot, and I decided that this was one of the things I missed most about working here. While we ate, I chatted with Sam and with the waitresses who came over to see me between waiting on their tables.

Tempted as I was to stay and get drunk, I remembered that we had guests, so I paid our bill and left a sizeable tip for everyone before leaving about 10 minutes before sunset.

When we arrived home, I walked straight into the kitchen to warm a True Blood for Eric, who I could hear moving around upstairs. As soon as the sun was fully set, Eric was in the kitchen with his arms wrapped around me. "Good evening, Lover. I missed you tonight when I woke up. What have you been up to today?"

I kissed him, and handed him his True Blood, "I've been busy today. I've been over to check on progress at Fangtasia, then I went to Merlotte's for a burger and caught up with Sam, then I got home about 5 minutes ago."

He nodded, and sat at the table while I fixed myself a drink. I'd left my notepad on the table earlier today, so Eric picked it up, and read through my list of things to do. "You have been busy, haven't you?"

I nodded as I sipped my drink, then suddenly remembered, "Oh, and I have something to show you…"

Eric's eyebrow raised as I practically bounced on my seat with excitement. Tray, who had just been doing a perimeter check, came into the kitchen with Stan as I spoke. "Last night, I had a bit of a strange dream. I met my great-grandfather, and he taught me something new."

"Your great-grandfather, Sookie?" Eric asked, shocked.

"Oh, yeah. He's Claudine's grandfather… Niall Brigant," I explained. I watched Eric's face as a look of understanding spread across his features. "Do you know him?"

He smiled, and nodded, "Yes, I know him. He is prince of all the fae. You, my angel, are a princess."

"You've gotta be kidding me! Not only do I find out I'm a fairy, now I find out I'm a fucking fairy princess!"

"Now now, Sookie, that kind of language isn't exactly appropriate for royalty is it?" Eric smirked.

"Shut up, Eric!" I stood up, and offered Stan a True Blood.

While I was heating Stan's True Blood, Eric asked, "So what did your great grandfather teach you, Sookie?"

Rather than trying to describe it to him, I rested my hands on the counter, and took a deep breath, concentrating on my Russian dolls. One by one, I slipped them into place, quickly, but efficiently until I had all 6 layers in place. I heard Eric growl, and spun round to face him. I was surprised to see a stunned and slightly panicked look on his face. "What's wrong, Eric?"

He inhaled sharply, "I cannot hear you, or smell you, or _feel _you. If it weren't for the fact that you are standing in front of me, I wouldn't know you were there. I don't like it."

"But, I thought it would be useful… you know, if I ever have to hide."

"Oh, it is useful, Princess; but I don't like not being able to feel you."

I nodded, and concentrated, making a small gap in my 'outer layer'; watching Eric's face all along. I knew I'd succeeded in achieving what I wanted when I saw his face relax some. "Better?"

"Much. I still can't hear your heartbeat or smell your glorious scent, but I can feel you now."

Stan and Tray were watching our interaction with a great deal of curiosity. Stan inhaled deeply, "I can't smell you either, Sookie." I looked at Tray, who simply shook his head.

I nodded, then stripped off the outer layer of my Russian doll altogether. "How about now?"

Tray replied this time, "I can smell you now, Sookie. You smell all human to me."

"And to me," agreed Stan. "All human, with a hint of Eric."

I grinned, "Perfect! I've been worried about my fae scent ever since Claudine told me that it would get stronger as my abilities did. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to spend any time with you, and that if I did, I'd put us in danger."

Eric stood, and wrapped his arms around me, kissing my temple. "I told, you Princess, that your scent wouldn't keep me away. I admit though, that even after our conversation with Stan last night, I was a little… concerned about other vampires picking up on your fae scent."

"Well, now we don't need to worry about anyone's fae-dar!" I joked.

Eric chuckled, "Absolutely. You are now able to stay completely under the fae-dar, lover."

"Hmm… maybe we can test it out at Fangtasia tonight?" I suggested.

"We could do that, lover, but I have some things to discuss with Stan before we go anywhere."

"OK, how about you and Stan have your 'discussion' while I go shower and get ready?" I looked between Eric and Stan, who both nodded in agreement. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tray?" I asked, knowing that Tray would be gone before I came back downstairs.

"Sure, Sookie. Have a good night," he replied.

I went upstairs and hopped into the shower, where I decided to experiment some with my Russian Dolls. I figured that with 6 layers, I completely blocked everything, including my tie with Eric, which neither of us particularly liked, so I'd try creating a half-layer between my fifth and sixth layers. That way I could mask everything but my tie with Eric, and only mask that when I put the outer doll in place. I envisaged the half-layer as a see-through layer; almost like a plastic coating to my fifth doll, then practiced putting it into place.

When I was finished in the shower, I changed into a beautiful bright-blue polka dot halter neck dress, and decided to forego underwear so that I could treat Eric to a bit of fun while we were out. I threw my hair up into a low ponytail that hung over my right shoulder, and used a curling iron to put ringlets into the ponytail. I put on some mascara and lip gloss, then I was ready to go.

I bounded down the stairs, then into the kitchen, where Eric and Stan seemed to be finishing up their discussion. Eric looked up as I stepped into the room, "Lover, you look edible."

I snickered, "You don't look so bad yourself, Viking. Are you guys about ready to go?"

"We are. I must leave to head back home now, but I will be in touch, Eric," Stan said as he stood.

"Oh, OK then. I guess we'll see you in a few weeks in Rhodes?"

"That you will. Thank you both for your hospitality," he said as he walked through the back door.

"Any time, my friend," Eric replied.

As soon as the back door was closed, I found myself pressed against it by a very horny Viking. He wrapped my two wrists in one of his large hands and raised them above my head. My breath was coming in quick pants and he hadn't even touched me yet.

I looked into his eyes, and attempted to reach up for a kiss, but Eric was having none of it just yet. "You, my Princess, were wonderful, both last night and tonight. I can't wait to make you mine officially," he said as he finally leaned down to kiss me.

When he eventually pulled away to allow me to breath, I panted, "Wow! I don't know what I've done to deserve that, but… wow!"

"The way you acted last night when you arrived in Fangtasia, and saw that I was with someone, and the way that you have deferred to me, and allowed me to have time alone to talk with Stan this evening was perfect, Princess."

Oh, now I understood! "So you like it when I'm submissive, do you Eric?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He chuckled as he leaned in to kiss me again. "Not always. I love your feistiness, but there are times when your submission is very important to me."

"Like when there are other vampires around and you need to prove that you're still bad-ass, even if you do love me?"

He nodded. "Amongst other times…" he nipped my neck suggestively. I was almost incoherent with lust now, and Eric knew that, so he merely continued kissing and licking my neck, with one hand still holding my arms above my head. "It's a shame that you went to all of this effort to get ready; I don't think I'm in the mood to go out this evening… unless you want to?" he asked as he pulled away slightly.

The loss of Eric's lips from my skin pulled me back to reality for a few seconds; long enough to whisper, "No. I don't think I do want to go out."

Eric chuckled, "I didn't think you would… Shall we take this upstairs, Princess?" He moved back to kiss me senseless.

I simply nodded, unable to respond in any other way. He grinned and picked me up before heading upstairs again. When we reached our room, he set me gently on the floor, making sure I was steady on my feet before stepping away from me, towards our closet.

He was back in a blink of the eye with the silk scarves in one hand, and something I couldn't see in the other. He set them down on the bed, but before I could fully turn to see what he had, he turned back to me, and kissed me hard. When I started seeing spots from lack of oxygen, he pulled away, and slipped a scarf over my eyes. I was so turned on by this point from his kisses alone; I would have allowed him to do anything he wanted to me. I could feel the moisture pooling between my thighs, and I could feel Eric against my neck. "Let me smell your glorious scent, lover," he whispered.

Frankly, I'm surprised my Russian dolls were still in place; my brain was so addled with lust. I sucked in a deep breath, in an attempt to focus, then imagined all of my dolls disappearing.

"Good girl. Now, come here, I'm going to remove your clothes, then I want you on the bed."

I took a tentative step forward, and stopped when I felt his hands rest on my waist. He kissed me again, and his hands roamed my back until he found the zip at the back of my dress, and tugged it down. My dress was now held on simply by the bow at the back of the halter. He swiftly undid my bra, then I felt his hands roam higher up my back until he caught the end of the bow and tugged lightly. The bow came undone, and my dress pooled around my feet, along with my bra. "Hmmm… Naughty Sookie's come out to play again tonight, I see," he murmured as he licked and kissed his way down the front of my body, stopping to play with my breasts before dipping lower.

I whimpered as he reached my mound, and he whispered, "I love the scent of you, Princess. You smell heavenly to me, and I hate not being able to smell you."

Suddenly, he was gone, and I was left panting; waiting for him to make his next move. He was absolutely silent, and I couldn't tell where he was until I felt his fingers tickle down my spine. I wriggled away from his feather-light touch, and he grabbed my shoulders a little more firmly. "Oh, no, you don't Sookie. Tonight, you are mine to do what I please." I was glad he had hold of me, because I think I may have melted into a puddle at his words.

He brought my hands round in front of me, and I felt him wrap the silk scarf around them, securely, but not too tight. "Hmm, the things I could do with you right now, Princess… I could touch you anywhere without you knowing where I was going to touch you next," he teased, as his hands roamed around my body. "You're at my mercy, Princess; and I find I quite like that idea, in the bedroom." Suddenly, his lips were on mine, and my entire body was trembling in anticipation.

"You like that idea too, don't you, Lover?" I bit my lip and nodded. "Good to know," he whispered as one of his arms appeared behind my knee and he used the other hand to lift my bound hands around his neck. He kissed me soundly; so much so, that I didn't know where he was taking me until he sat me down on what felt like the stool in front of my vanity.

"Stay there," he commanded, and I felt a wisp of air, as I presumed he moved away from me at vampire speed. I did as I was told, and stayed where he had put me. The anticipation was killing me; I had no idea where he'd gone, or what he was doing.

After what felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, I heard footsteps. They were heavier than normal, and I was glad that Eric did that so that he didn't scare me when he re-appeared. "Beautiful!" he stated.

There was nothing for a couple more minutes, no sign of him breathing or moving, or touching me. I was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable, imagining him sitting there, staring at me while I was blindfold and my wrists were tied. Then, without warning, he smoothed something on my lower lip. Knowing that he wouldn't put anything on my lip that was dangerous, I poked my own out to lick it, and was very pleasantly surprised to find that it was chocolate. "Yum!"

"Did you like that, lover?"

I nodded, "Yes, I did. Very much."

"Good." He smoothed some more on both lips this time, and I licked it away again; taking extra care to lick my top lip slowly in what I hoped was a seductive manner. I knew it worked when I heard him growl softly.

At that sound, more moisture pooled between my thighs, and I moaned in response. His finger appeared next, coated in chocolate, and he held it next to my mouth. I sucked it into my mouth, swirling my tongue around, making sure to get all of the chocolate off. This time, it was his turn to moan. He pumped his finger in and out of my mouth a few times before withdrawing. I sat still on the stool, with my mouth slightly open and my thighs rubbing together.

His hands appeared on my thighs, pulling them apart. "Only I am allowed to give you release, Princess," he informed me, as his hands left my thighs. I jumped when one of his fingers brushed through my folds. He chuckled, "So responsive."

"Eric, please," I whined.

"Please what, Princess?"

"Please touch me!"

He tweaked both of my nipples, hard. I cried out at the mix of pleasure and pain. "Turn your head to the left, Princess." I did as I was told. "Good girl."

He kissed me again, and soon, I was a panting mess again. He licked my lower lip before pulling back for a few seconds, then he licked my lip again. This time I put my own tongue out to touch his, and I realised that this wasn't his tongue, it was his cock, and it was covered in chocolate. I moaned, and took my time liking the chocolatey goodness off, making sure he was as clean as I could get him. I licked and sucked all my way up and down his length, and smiled around him when Eric's fingers started gently guiding my head back and forward. I hummed, and he responded with a growl and a sudden thrust forward. I tried not to gag at the invasion as he hit the back of my throat, but he heard the slight noise that I made, and pulled back, "I'm sorry, Princess," he said as he kissed me.

He tugged gently on my bound wrists to pull me up off the stool, then guided me over towards the bed. "Right, I want you to kneel on the bed with your knees apart," he commanded as he loosened one of my wrists, only to pull my hands behind me, and re-bind them. He helped me onto the bed, and helped me crawl forward on my knees since my hands were now bound behind me. When he deemed that I'd gone far enough forward, he put his hands on my shoulders.

He nudged my knees further apart, then disappeared for a while again. The sensation of being trussed up like this was heady; I knew that he had tied me up like this for both of our pleasure, and the anticipation of what was coming next was killing me.

I cried out at the next sensation, which was a swift lick along my slit from my clit to my opening. I figured Eric must have put his head between my knees to make that move. I tried to move subtly to close my thighs so that I could press them together to ease some of the longing I felt, but he saw me, and delivered a quick slap to my rear. I shrieked at the stinging sensation as he sternly reminded me, "I said that only I was allowed to give you relief, Sookie. Do I need to tie your legs apart too?"

Part of me was excited at the prospect of being trussed up to such a degree, but I shook my head no. "Hmmm, you're excited by that thought, aren't you Princess? Not tonight, but maybe in the future?" I bit my lip, trying to hold in the moan that threatened to escape.

His hand gently cupped my chin, and his thumb released my lip from my teeth before he kissed me again. Then, he was gone again.

This time, I felt movement on the bed, and he instructed, "Open your mouth, Princess." I did as I was told. I felt him rest on my bottom lip, and, like before, I licked and sucked, determined to give him the kind of pleasure he was giving me. Eric moved slowly in and out of my mouth, then again, he disappeared. I groaned in disappointment, feeling at the end of my tether with his teasing.

"Eric, please, I need you! Stop teasing me!"

Finally, I felt him at my entrance, "As you wish, Princess." Slowly, he pushed his way into me, until he was fully sheathed inside of me. I moaned at the full sensation, as he held me still, savouring the moment. Then again, he was gone, and in my mind, I was screaming in frustration.

I felt tugging at my wrists again, as my hands dropped back to the small of my back. Then, he gently pushed me forward, onto what appeared to be a pile of pillows, and he was back at my entrance. This time, he entered me with a swift thrust. I screamed out in pleasure, and continued to moan as he thrust in and out, getting faster and harder as we both got closer to our release. He reached around to rub my clit, and I screamed as I came.

"Fuck, Sookie!" he roared as he spilled into me. He continued to pump into me slowly as he untied my wrists, and rubbed them gently before pulling me back upright and kissing me.

"You didn't bite me," I whispered.

"I'm not done with you yet, Princess," he grinned.

"Oh!" I responded with a sigh as he kissed his way down the back of my neck. I could feel him getting hard again inside me as he sucked my neck. I'm sure he was leaving a mark, and I wished that I could mark him too.

"I love you, Princess," he whispered just as he bit into the soft part where my shoulder & neck met.

"I love you too, Eric!" I whispered back as I came with a sigh while he sucked my life force, and released into me.


	44. Chapter 44 Too Quiet?

I'm SO SORRY that this chapter has taken so long. I got most of it written really quickly, but then my muse disappeared again. I will repeat again my promise that I WILL finish this story. It may take a long time, but I will get there!

First, I want to thank **Chipndalegal**, who, bless her heart, has gone back to the start and reviewed every single chapter – thanks hon x. Obviously, thank you to all of you who have reviewed, alerted and favourite the story so far, and thanks for sticking with me.

My usual thanks, of course, to **TezyJ**, my fabulous pre-reader. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, without this girl's love and encouragement, you would not be reading BoB at all. Love ya Tez xxxx

On with the show then, but before I do… I own nothing, it all belongs to Charlaine Harris (much to my dismay :-( )

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**Chapter Forty Four – Too Quiet?**

We lay snuggled in bed for more than an hour after our little 'interlude', just touching and talking. He asked me about the list he'd found on the kitchen table, and I told him that after my dream with Niall, I was more determined to do as much as I could to help myself, and the first part of that was about being organised and aware of what needed to be done. So far, I'd let Eric take control of the expansion at Fangtasia, but I'd decided that since it was my investment, I should take more of an interest.

I told him about Alcide's idea of knocking the wall through earlier at Fangtasia, and Eric seemed pleased with the suggestion.

I lay with my head on Eric's shoulder, and drew patterns on his chest with my finger. I didn't realise I'd gone quiet until Eric asked, "What's bothering you, Angel?"

I looked up at him and voiced something which had been nagging at the back of my mind for a few days now, "I don't know, and I don't want to jinx things, but… it feels like it's too quiet; nothing bad has happened since we came back from New York. I guess I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"I know what you mean, Princess; things do seem to have been going a bit too smoothly don't they? But don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."

"Good. We've got too much to do before Rhodes to let something get in our way. We've still got to get Fangtasia finished, and have our party; then we've gotta get ready for Rhodes."

"You're going to need clothes and jewellery for Rhodes too, Princess."

"I've thought about that, and I thought that maybe I can go shopping with Amelia and Claudine next time they're both off work. I spoke with them both today, but forgot to mention it."

Eric looked curious, "What did you speak with them about today, Princess?"

"Well, like I said earlier, I've decided to take the bull by the horns, and do whatever I can to help myself; so I asked Claudine to help with my teleporting. I want her to help me POP with other things, or people." Eric's eyebrow rose, so I continued, "I want to be able to get you and Pam out of any… situation."

"Lover, you know it's not in my nature to run. I'd rather fight."

"I know, Eric, but I don't want to lose you, and if it feels like we need to get outa there, I'd rather just do it. Better to be able to fight another day, right?"

He stared intently at my eyes for what seemed like hours before finally closing his own and nodding in concession. "Before I met you, I would have said 'no', but I find that I can't live without you, and I would expect you to leave a situation rather than fight, and how can I ask you to do that if I won't do the same?"

We were silent for a while, then I propped myself up again to look him in the face, "Eric, can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything, Princess."

"Were you telling the truth before? About Niall?"

"I _always_ tell you the truth, Princess."

"I know, I just thought that maybe… you were making fun of me."

"While I do like to make fun of you on occasion, I would never do so about such a serious matter."

"So I'm really a fairy princess?" He nodded. "Every little girl's dream," I muttered.

"I doubt it's what every little girl dreams of really." I looked up at him, confused, so he explained, "It just puts you at more risk. Now, not only do you need to watch out for my enemies; but you'll need to be alert for Niall's enemies too."

"Great, just what I need!"

"I'm sure that since Niall hasn't visited you personally, your relationship to him will not be common knowledge, and I hope that he will keep it that way. At least then you will have some semblance of safety from the fae."

"But I've gotta keep my eyes open anyway? Just in case."

"Precisely."

"I'll call Claudine in the morning to see if she can give me any tips about how to fight against fairies, just in case we need it."

"That's an excellent idea, lover."

"Yeah, I'll arrange a shopping trip with her too. If she's a fairy princess, she'll know some nice places to go to get clothes for Rhodes. What kind of things will I need?"

"Well, if it were up to me, you'd be naked and in my bed for the whole of the time we are there," he waggled his eyebrows. "But, since we're going to be there, I should make use of your talents to make sure there's nothing I should know that I'm not being told. I have a feeling De Castro and Madden will be sniffing around."

"I'm sure you're right, and what about those other two guys that Tray scented on the property, Bruno, and whoever else it was?"

"They're definitely up to something, Lover, and I intend to find out exactly what it is. Stan has offered the services of his…. acquaintance… in De Castro's camp to provide us with information."

"You mean his spy?"

"Indeed I do. Most vampires have spies in other people's camps, especially those who may pose a risk to us, or to those we owe fealty to."

"Sounds very underhanded."

"We have to be underhanded in order to survive, Sookie."

"I guess, but I wouldn't like to be the one being spied on."

"Nobody does, that's why we only have a very small group of trusted friends, and we 'feed' information to people outside of that group; that way we can tell who the spies are, and we know who to be careful of."

"Seems a bit stressful to be dealing with on a daily basis."

He shrugged, "You get used to it."

I didn't want to think any more about spies and threats; so I changed the subject, "Are you going to Fangtasia tomorrow night?"

"I should. I have business to attend to, and really, I should have gone tonight, but you were just too irresistible."

"Eric, I don't want to keep you from your work. You need to be doing your Sheriff duties to make sure that everyone still sees you as the bad-ass Viking that you are."

"Trust me, Lover. One night away from the club is not going to make the area fall apart around us."

"OK. Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'd appreciate you coming and 'listening' to some of the patrons. I need to be sure that there's nothing amiss as the police seem to be taking an extra special interest in the club and in me since your attack."

"OK. I'd better get some sleep then, because I want to get some stuff done tomorrow. I need to get some clothes for Rhodes, and I need to have a chat with Quinn about what kinda music he wants me to play."

"Rest then, Lover, and I'll see you tomorrow evening."

I yawned, "Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course."

~BoB~

When I woke, it was just before noon. I extricated myself from Eric's arms, had a quick shower, and headed downstairs for a coffee before giving Quinn a call.

We discussed the type of music that he wanted me to perform, and he asked a few questions about the pledging ceremony since he was on the phone. I told him I'd ask Eric to give him a call tonight as I didn't really know enough about the pledging ceremony to be able to make decisions about it.

He seemed really reluctant for me to get Eric to give him a call for some reason, but relented when I told him that I was leaving everything up to Eric.

When we hung up, I sat for a while, nursing my coffee, thinking about that phone call. There was something nagging at the back of my mind, but I wasn't sure what just yet. I decided to discuss it later with Eric.

In the meantime, I gave Calvin a call and told him what Quinn and I had discussed regarding music. Fortunately, he said the guys were all familiar with the songs that Quinn had suggested. He also said that based on those suggestions, they could come up with some more. We arranged to get together over the next couple of days to go through our options, and to start practicing.

When we'd finished our conversation, I pulled out my 'to do' list, and crossed off a couple of items. I'd checked on things at Fangtasia, and I was happy with the progress; as I'm sure Eric would be too, although we would both check again between now and Halloween. I'd also spoken with Quinn about my performance at Rhodes, and what he expected of me.

I jotted down a couple more things, then checked through the list again. I needed clothes; so my next call was to Claudine.

I felt like I should bitch her out for not telling me about the fact that she was my cousin, and that I was actually fairy royalty; but I realised that she had her reasons for not telling me, so I decided to give her a chance to explain.

"Hello cousin," I said when she answered after the third ring.

There was a noticeable pause on the other end of the line before she responded, "Sookie?"

I laughed, "Of course! Who else did you think it'd be?"

"I… I don't know," she stammered. "How…"

I interrupted her brain freeze, "I had a visit a couple of nights ago, from my Great Grandfather, he told me about our… relationship."

"And you're OK?"

I laughed, "Sure, I don't mind being related to you!"

"But…"

"Yeah, it's a lot to take in, but it's not like I can do anything about it. I know it means that I've gotta be even more alert now, but I have Eric looking out for me, and Alcide."

"And me," she added quietly.

"Of course! Actually, that's kinda why I was calling… now that I've found out who I am, I need to 'up my game' clothes wise. I could do with your help shopping, and I have a few things I'd like to ask, if that's OK?"

She sounded relieved, "Yeah, that sounds like fun. When do you want to go?"

"Are you free today?"

"Actually, I am. It's my day off."

"Great! Can I meet you in say, an hour?"

"Sounds good. See you at the mall in an hour."

Next up, I called Tray and asked him if he could 'babysit' me for a few hours while I shopped with Claudine. He told me he'd be round in ten, so I used the time to quickly throw some clothes on and pull my hair back into a ponytail.

Tray arrived, as promised, ten minutes after I called him. "So, what's the plan?"

"I told Claudine I'd meet her at the mall in an hour, so I guess we'd better head out."

"Yes Ma'am!" He saluted playfully as he picked up the keys to my Audi from the kitchen table.

I scowled at him, and he just chuckled before walking out of the back door.

I scrambled to check the locks on the front door, and lock up the back door before 'popping' into the passenger seat of my car. "Shit, Sookie! You're gonna give me a heart attack if you keep that up!"

I giggled, and told him that it served him right for stealing my car keys. We joked back and forward for a while before I became serious, and said, "Hey, Tray, how well do you know Quinn."

"Not real well. I know him more by reputation than anything else. Why?"

"I don't know; he just seemed a bit… off when I spoke with him this morning and told him I'd get Eric to give him a call tonight. He just seemed real reluctant to speak with Eric."

"Could just be because Eric's a vamp."

"But if he hated vamps that much, why would he work with them and for them?"

"Money?"

"Sure, but I can't help feeling that something's not quite right."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. I just don't feel comfortable with him."

"Well, whenever you deal with him face to face, make sure you 'listen' to him. That might help settle your mind about him."

"I would say I hope I don't need to deal with him face to face, but with him organising the pledging for us, I guess that's kinda unavoidable."

"Sure is. I'm sure he's on the level, Sookie; he wouldn't risk his reputation or his business over some personal vendetta against Eric."

"I'm not sure it is personal, or just against Eric," I countered. "There's just something about him… I can't put my finger on it."

"OK. We'll speak with Eric about it, and see what he thinks. I'm not gonna disregard your feelings about it, but for now… try not to worry."

"I'll try."

We arrived at the mall a few minutes later, and found Claudine pacing in front of the doors on her cell phone. She looked annoyed at whoever she was talking to, but when she saw us, she plastered a smile on her face and waved us over. She spoke a few more words into her cell, then snapped it shut. "Hi guys!" she greeted us brightly.

"Hey Claudine!" we hugged briefly before she hooked her arm into mine and led me into the mall. "So, you got an idea about where we need to go?"

She nodded, "I certainly do, dear cousin. As any good builder knows, you've got to start with a great foundation. Our first stop is going to be Victoria's Secret, where we'll buy you all of the 'foundation garments' you need; then from there, we'll visit the more exclusive boutiques in and around the mall."

I groaned internally, not relishing the idea of spending hours and potentially thousands at the mall because I was still not used to the amount of money I had. Then, I remembered that how I looked, and what I wore, reflected on Eric, so I determined to suck it up, and make the most out of today. Hopefully I'd be able to get all of my shopping done today and would be able to knock one more thing off my list.

We trudged through the stores, and, as predicted, I spent thousands of dollars on everything from 'foundation garments' to dresses, designer jeans and jackets to everything in between.

All the while we shopped, Claudine and I chatted about various things, including my new station in life, and what that would mean for me. "Hey, Claudine? Eric mentioned last night that I need to watch out for Niall's enemies now too. Who or what do I need to be looking out for and what should I do if I see them?"

"Niall's biggest enemy is Breandon. He's the leader of the water fae, but you're not likely to ever run into him as he has a serious aversion to all things human and stays in Fae."

"But he might send someone else?" I filled in between the lines.

"Yes, and unfortunately, there's no saying who that might be."

"So be on the lookout for any fairy I don't know?"

"Pretty much."

"And what do I do if I see one?"

"Try not to interact with them. Pop away if you can, but if you can't, remember that iron and lemon juice are deadly to fairies."

"Would I be able to pop with someone else?"

She stared at me reflectively for a few seconds, "I believe you will, with a little more practice. Start small, don't over exert yourself. Take, say, an apple, the first time you try, then a melon, then a basket of laundry… you get the idea."

We spent the next few hours in the mall, and surprisingly, we got a lot of what I needed without spending the earth. We also managed to discuss many things that we felt would help me to help myself, and Claudine gave me a lot of tips for things to try to help improve my magic. She also suggested that I take Eric with me to buy the jewellery, as she thought that he might want to 'treat' me.

By the time we were finished, it was getting late, and I still had a lot to do, so Tray drove me to Fangtasia so I could briefly check in with Alcide. I was delighted with his progress, and could see that they would have no problems with knocking through between closing on Sunday and opening on Tuesday. I felt a bit guilty for being so abrupt with Alcide the day before, and told him as much. He told me that he completely understood, and that he hadn't taken offence. We left fairly soon after that, because I was anxious to get back to Eric.

We arrived back in Bon Temps about half an hour before sunset, so I sent Tray home for the day, and went upstairs to soak in the tub before Eric rose for the night. He joined me in the tub about ten minutes after I got in, and we snuggled for a while before getting ready for the evening. He really had to put in an appearance at Fangtasia tonight since we'd missed going the night before.

While we dressed, I told Eric about my phone call with Quinn, and told him that Quinn was expecting his call this evening to discuss the ceremony at Rhodes to which he responded, "I'll call him from Fangtasia when we get there."

"Sounds like a plan. Are you ready to go?" I asked.

"Whenever you are, lover."

I grabbed my purse, and he took my free hand as we walked downstairs together. I locked up, and he held my hand over to my car, where he opened the passenger door for me, and helped me in.

The drive to Shreveport was mainly filled with idle chitchat, and companiable silence. I could tell that Eric had something on his mind, and I was mulling over my feeling of unease so far as Quinn was concerned. There wasn't anything in particular that I could put my finger on as being the cause, something just didn't feel… right… about him. I guess I'd just have to wait and see.


	45. Chapter 45 Unease

Hey guys, I'm sorry I disappeared off the face of the earth for a while - believe me, I've been here! I've gotta be honest, and say that I'm not 100% happy with this chapter, but I wanted to get something out there for you all. I've been working on a new blog over on WordPress, but want to get it absolutely right before I share it with you all. I'm aiming to get BoB up to date on there (including all the re-work that I've been doing on the chapters) and then plan to post to there before I post on FF.

For those of you who are still with me, thank you for your patience. I have said it before, and I will say it again... I WILL finish this story. This one is a really short filler chapter, and I am building up to Rhodes very soon. Sookie's spidey senses are twitching though - what could be setting them off?

Anyway, usual disclaimer applies - I own nothing...

On with the show:

45 – Unease

If Eric noticed my pensive mood in the car, he didn't comment; too lost in his own thoughts. When we arrived at Fangtasia, he leaned over and kissed me, whispering, "I love you," before getting out of the car and coming round to open my door for me.

When I stepped out of the car, I stood on my tiptoes, and kissed his chin. "I love you too."

He took my hand and walked me through the employee entrance and to his office, then sat me on his lap while he put the phone on loudspeaker and dialled Quinn's number. The phone rang quite a few times before Quinn eventually picked up. "Tiger, I understand Sookie told you to expect my call," Eric began sternly, clearly not happy at having to wait for Quinn to answer his phone.

"Northman," responded Quinn, who didn't bother to acknowledge the fact that Eric was plainly unhappy with him. "Your… human told me I needed to speak with me this evening regarding your pledging ceremony."

"My fiancée is right here with me, Tiger," Eric snarled in warning. Really, what was with Quinn's attitude? He was fine with me when he wanted to book me, and now he was… off.

"Miss Stackhouse, I apologise," Quinn's voice came through the speaker, but he really didn't sound sorry. I made a noise in acknowledgement, but didn't tell him I accepted his apology, I was too on edge thinking about where this change in attitude had come from.

Eric started rubbing his hand up and down my back in a soothing way, and I snuggled into him, not really listening to what was being said. I laid my head against Eric's chest, and the deep vibrations of his voice lulled me into an almost trance-like state. It reminded me of sitting on my father's knee when I was a small girl when he would sit and chat with my mom. I would never really listen to what they were talking about, but the sense of being close to him calmed me.

Their conversation must have lasted about ten minutes before Eric squeezed my hip to get my attention. I looked up at him and he raised his eyebrow in question. "Sorry, I spaced out a bit there," I explained.

"The Tiger was just asking if there was anything in particular that you wanted to do in the ceremony."

"Um… no, I don't think so. Unless… do we say vows or anything?"

Quinn spoke up, "The standard vampire pledging ceremony doesn't involve vows; just a kind of blood exchange where both the vampires cut their wrists and their blood is mixed in a ceremonial goblet before both partners drink from the goblet. But, there haven't really been any vampire/human ceremonies, so there's no real precedent, so if you want to say vows, there's nothing to stop you."

I looked up at Eric, who asked, "Is this something you want, Lover?"

"I'm not sure – would it be appropriate?"

"If we keep it short, I think it will be fine."

"I can do that," I responded with a smile.

"Fine. Tiger, we will be exchanging short vows, make sure you include that in the ceremony."

"Do you want me to provide some for you, or will you write your own?"

Eric looked at me with a raised eyebrow, then gestured for me to answer the question. "I think I'd like to write my own. That way it's more personal to us, you know…"

He kissed my forehead, then added, "That sounds perfect."

We discussed the ceremony for a few more minutes before Eric hung up the phone. "Lover, what has you so tense?"

"I don't know Eric; I can't put my finger on it. There's just something about Quinn in the past couple of days that has me a little on edge."

He growled, "Has that fucker said or done something to you?"

"No. Nothing like that, I just have this feeling of unease every time I have any dealings with him. It's probably nothing, but…"

"Lover, I have not lived a thousand years without listening to my gut feelings. We will take extra care around him, and I don't want you to be alone with him at all."

I shuddered at the thought. "Don't worry, I don't either!" We snuggled in silence for a few minutes more, then a thought occurred to me…

"Eric, I've just thought of something. If we use the ceremonial chalice, you'll have to cut me in a room full of vampires – will that be safe?"

He looked thoughtful before replying, "You make a very good point, Princess. Perhaps we should skip that step altogether."

"But will we still be married if we don't exchange blood? I'm happy to exchange blood with you, but maybe not so…openly."

"Do you have something in mind, angel?"

"I'm not sure… would a normal blood exchange work? Like you biting my wrist, and me biting yours? That way we still exchange blood, but you can seal my wound before anyone else gets a whiff of Eau de Sookie."

"Hmmm, I believe that would work. Plus, if you continue to practice your scent masking, you may be able to extend it outside of your body so that even if you do bleed a little, no-one else will pick anything up other than human."

"That sounds like a plan. But, Stan's gone home now, so who will I be able to practice on?"

"I think Pam would be able to help us out."

"OK. I'll talk with her later tonight, but for now, we have work to do."

He huffed, "I would much rather stay in here all night, ravaging my beautiful fiancée." I giggled, and raised my eyebrows in a very Eric-like gesture. "You drive a hard bargain, lover. I hope you intend on making this up to me when we get home?"

I gave him a demure smile, "Of course."

He stood me up then slapped my behind, "Let's get this over with then…"

We spent the next few hours 'enthralling the vermin' and checking up on progress in the new area of the bar before we went home. When we arrived home, Eric swept me up in his arms, and carried me into the den, where he threw some cushions on the floor and set me down gently before moving to light the fire.

We made love for hours in front of the fire, then, as the fire started to die down, we snuggled together and talked. We talked about everything and nothing until I started to drift off to sleep and Eric picked me up and carried me to bed.

~BoB~

The next morning when I woke up, even before I got out of bed, I decided to start practicing my Russian doll. I needed it to become second nature, like my shielding had become, and I figured the more I worked on it, the better I would be. The last thing I wanted was for my scent to wash over a roomful of _old _vampires who could possibly be able to detect what I was.

After about 30 minutes, my bladder insisted that I make a move. I trudged to the bathroom, and took care of business, then hopped into the shower. While I was in the shower, I contemplated what was making me so uneasy about Quinn, and what I was going to do about it. I grew frustrated when I realised I knew next to nothing about the man, and that just set me more on edge.

I decided to try not to think about it for now, and to practice 'popping' around the house with something small, as Claudine had suggested. I lowered my shields and checked whether there was anyone in the house. Tray was doing another perimeter check, so there was no-one downstairs. I looked at the hairbrush I had in my hand, then closed my eyes and concentrated on the kitchen. It took a few seconds, but eventually, I felt the familiar stretching sensation that I always felt when I teleported.

When I opened my eyes, I was exactly where I'd envisaged myself being. I was so pleased, I jumped up and down on the spot a couple of times, with a whispered "Yay!" Realising what an idiot I would look to anyone who walked into the kitchen, I stopped my happy dance, and looked around for something small to try to pop upstairs. When my eyes lit on the salt and pepper cellars on the table, I grabbed them and concentrated on the living room – two seconds later, I was there.

I bounced around the house, gradually taking heavier and heavier things with me, for the next hour or so until I realised I felt absolutely exhausted. I put everything back in their rightful homes, then took hold of my hairbrush again before popping back upstairs. I laid the brush on my bedside table, then stripped off my clothes and crawled into bed with Eric. I was out like a light.


End file.
